The first two weeks here we have had different responsibilities such as cutting grass, brick making, watering the apple orchard, and playing/teaching the children. My team has been cutting grass and y’all this grass is so so long because they only cut it once a year. It is an exhausting job, which we have been using sickles. I don’t even cut the grass at home so this is a new thing. I think it’s actually a really fun job because you can see the progress you’ve made. Sometimes the kids would come out and want to help us. They can actually do it really quickly, but we wouldn’t ever let them do it because it was our job for the time being. We have gotten some cuts and splinters, but it’s been so much fun and some really good conversations have happened while cutting the grass.
Grass analogy: We are the really long pieces of grass that are sinful and broken and the Lord is the gardener. He is cutting us down so we can build each other up and grow into the sons and daughters of God he has created us to be.
You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. Psalm 90:5-6
They don’t have lawn mowers here because there is no access to gasoline, so we stick to using sickles. Who knew that I would be cutting grass in Africa. It’s actually really fun.
The second two weeks we have been sifting dirt and helping make bricks. The first day we moved bricks from one corner of a pavilion to another, which was exhausting. The next day we were able to make bricks. It’s an extensive process, which I will explain. First, you have to put some rocks and dirt into a machine. This machine will refine the dirt and rocks. Next, you take this refined dirt/rock mixture and pick some up with a shovel and toss it at this screen which will sift the dirt. Next, you take the sifted dirt and place it in a wheelbarrow to be taken to a large pile of dirt fine enough to be used to make bricks. Then you put 20 shovels full into this mixing machine with some cement mix and water. Once that is mixed you place it into the brick maker and then you brush off the newly made brick. Then you place it with the rest of the brick that are drying.
Sometimes we don’t have a lot of do when it comes to brick making so we do things in shifts until others need a break. But that is the body of Christ. We are always there for each other-fighting for each other, praying for each other, loving one another, encouraging one another, and doing whatever we can to show each other the love of Christ.
Dirt sifting analogy: We are the dirt/rocks and the Lord throws us at the sifting screen to refine us and to make us brand new.
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
