We have just entered our fifth and final country – Albania! For the first month of Albania, my team and I are working on a farm run by a Christian organization called Light Force International, who’s goal is to provide practical help to the community.
After a few travel days, today was our first day of ministry on the farm. Going from teaching English 3 months in a row, to painting a library and entertaining hospital patients, this farm has shown to be a huge change of pace for myself and my team.
This morning, I spent 3 hours shoveling pig poop into a barrel, a couple hours cleaning the pig pens, and an hour feeding the pigs, goats, sheep and dogs. After just 6 hours of work on the first day, I am exhausted. Discipline is the theme Jesus has laid on my heart for this month on the farm. Getting dirty, working hard and putting my comforts and needs aside to help bring lift to a community.
I have realized on the race that I am an extremely relational person, and that is magnified when it comes to ministry. I love talking with people, hearing their story, telling them about Jesus and showing them a little bit of Jesus by my spirit and the way I walk. The farm doesn’t allow for that and I could feel frustrations arising inside me this morning as I was shoveling manure for hours on end.
Jesus spoke into these frustrations almost immediately. Through the farm, He’s teaching me a lot about behind the scenes work. Doing the work most people would choose not to do and that goes unnoticed. Faithfully and humbly serving Him by helping out on a farm that only has two workers and easily over a hundred animals, and giving back to an organization that so beautifully serves their community.
Dependence, reliance and submission to Jesus and His will.
