Once we were finished with the tent ministry we worked with our first week in Mongolia, it was time to head to a different city, Erdenet, where we would be for the rest of the month. The church we are partnered with, also helped put on the tent revival, so we were able to travel back to Erdenet with them. We were going to leave the next morning and had about an 8 hour bus ride. BUT THEN they told us we were going to stop at a lake for the day, and camp there for the night. A LAKE CAMP DAY? Sign me up!
We got to the lake around 9:30 in the morning, so we had the whole day to play! It was such a sweet time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery after the busy 5 days of the tent ministry. For the first few hours we were there we played games with the other girls, ate some watermelon, and talked about the amazing things the Lord did at the tent ministry.
Once the sun started coming out more, it was warming up, so that meant it was time to swim! The lake water was quite chilly. I started with just putting my feet in, and didn’t really want to get all the way in. But the Mongolians didn’t even hesitate. They were all jumping in and having the best time in the water. After seeing them, I couldn’t resist and knew I needed to get in with them. As soon as you start walking out into the water, they welcome you by completely drenching you with splashes. It was definitely one way to get used to the cold water! After being officially splash welcomed, we spent the next 30 minutes to an hour playing in the water.
The only way to describe seeing them in the water is pure JOY.
From the young people, all the way up to the older ladies, the joy they had to be in the water was contagious. There are not many lakes or swimming pools in Mongolia, so I think it could have been some of their first times swimming in a lake, or first time in a long time. The adults were like children again. One sweet older lady came up to me and my teammate, Erika, and grabbed our hands so we could hold her up while she kicked her feet because she couldn’t swim. My heart was bursting with happiness! To see this woman so childlike and filled with joy to be able to get a taste of what swimming is like. I didn’t realize that many of them did not know how to swim. But they didn’t care! Just the chance to play in the water was more than enough.
As we were all just standing in the water, I started talking with one of the girls who is about my age. She did not know to swim, but was having a blast playing in the water. And then she asked me,
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SWIM?
I replied with yes, and her response was so simple and sweet. She then asked,
THEN WHY AREN’T YOU SWIMMING?
A simple question, but it spoke to my heart. Why wasn’t I swimming? I know how to swim, but there I was just standing still in the lake. I realized that I do want to swim! And I should want to swim. Her sweet question about swimming, opened my eyes to how you can look at a relationship with Jesus.
To ask the question,
DO YOU KNOW JESUS?
If yes, ask yourself,
ARE YOU WALKING WITH HIM?
Just like with swimming. If you know how to swim, then why aren’t you swimming? If you know Jesus, then why aren’t you walking with Him?
Are you swimming in the water with Jesus, or just standing still in the lake? Are you even in the water? Maybe you are just watching from the bank. Wherever you land, I encourage to step out into the water and walk with Jesus. He is waiting to share with you the joy of playing, laughing, and swimming with Him.
Even if there are times when I don’t know how to walk well with Jesus, or feel like I forgot how to swim, I want to be like the Mongolians in the lake that day. Fearlessly jumping in for the chance to learn. I want to dive in with Jesus! For any and every opportunity I can get to know Him more.
There are many days I feel like I don’t know how to swim with Jesus, but He is the most patient and loving teacher. On the days when I don’t know what I am doing, like Erika and I held the hands of the sweet lady who didn’t know how to swim, Jesus is there to hold my hands while I kick my feet and swim with Him. I choose to jump in the water with Jesus! So come on in everyone, the water is incredible.
