This month I got to work at this place called El Shaddai. The ministry site sits on top of a mountain top that overlooks into a valley with a river and the town below. It is a beautiful place that takes your breath away and not just because of the higher elevation but because of the glory of God that can been seen all around you. It is a home for kids who have been through so much. Some of them have been exposed to things sexually that no child should. Others have just been abandoned by family and have no place to live and go so they find a safe haven here on top of a mountain.
So this month is a little different then most because first of all we are all together as a full squad, but as well its Manistry month so the gents are doing their own thing and then us ladies get to do our own thing as well. Its a month of stepping out of boyhood or girlhood and into man or womanhood. Because of this, this means we aren’t allowed to work with our brothers this month which is sad but allows us to step into a new area of growth and really look and see what it means to be a Woman of God, one who is after his own heart.
There are many things here that you can do as far as ministry goes here at El Shaddai. You can work in the “baby” house which is the house with younger kids, between the ages of 1-6 years old. You can choose to help out with the preschool and help empower the teachers there. As well there is organization where you can sort through clothing to be given away on Sundays, or do administration things and help there. Or you can do what I get to do this month and do manual labor.
Basically what this means that I and about seven other beautiful and hard working ladies get to work in the garden. However, this isn’t your typical planting flowers, harvesting, and pulling weeds type of gardening. No, rather it is more so expanding and fixing things in the garden. There is lots of overgrown grass and other various plants that need to be removed and then turned into mulch for the rows that have been made to keep moisture in the dirt. We are making raised beds/rows, tilling the dirt, evening out the ground, taking up rocks, and moving dirt here and there. Basically it isn’t just butterflies and roses people, its lots of hard work but it is so good.
Us women have decided that we are the “toned and tanned” folk because for four hours in the morning we are in the African sun and hoeing, shoveling, wheelbarrowing, and carrying lots and lots of dirt and mulch. Lets just say that yep I haven’t used certain muscles like this in a while, and yet it feels so good. Plus the awesome thing is that I get to see the transformation happen right before my eyes. I love this sort of work, working with my hands and literally getting down and dirty. I love working with the women that I do, its a party the whole time.
But, then after our work day is finished I get to go and hang out with my buddy, his name is Benjamin. He is a loveable guy with the brightest smile that I have ever seen. He is full of energy all the time and is an adventurous little guy; which is perfect because so am I. I get to love on him, encourage him, and help him with his schooling. He “claimed” me as soon as I stepped out of the bus the night we arrived and ever since he has stolen my heart. It makes me so happy and excited when I see him run to me after his day at school and its buddy time. I love his cheeky laugh and just how much joy is inside of that smile of his.
He however, like most of the kids I feel like don’t get encouraged very much if at all. He always tells me that he “can’t” and it breaks my heart every time that he says that, because he really CAN! So we have a rule now, that every time he says can’t he has to tell me “I can” three times. Even that was a struggle at first for him to say but by the end he was starting to say it with more confidence. So this is month I’m going to hopefully make sure that he walks with greater confidence in himself, with a little more pep in his step.
But, my favorite part of my day when everything is done is being able to sit in the presence of the Lord and look up to the night sky and see His majesty. Being able to see how small I am in comparison to how big that He is. To see just how wide, how vast, and how indescribable He truly is. I sit there and thank Him for the journey I am on and how He continues to give so graciously and so much to me and to the rest of the squad. I love to sing in the presence of my Father and He is so good indeed!
