I stepped out of the church and the rain was falling in a light mist. It helped the tears roll down my face a little easier. It was the end of our first ministry sight and I honestly don´t know why it hit me so hard. I was glad to know that I had left a part of me there. I was glad to know that I had truly invested in these people´s lives. But I really didn´t know it had hit me that hard.
I remember when we were in the church saying our goodbyes and praying for them. I looked over and my eyes met the eyes of our host father and I could just see this deep sense in his eyes that he was sad to see us go. All the times that we had laughed. And the tremendous impact that we had made in their small little village. How we had moved into his house and became apart of his family.
I looked at the kids that we had spent everyday with hoping deep down that we left something more valuable with them than just a good time. One boy who was 11 God had really burdened my heart with a word for him. I had been pushing it off all week, but it kept coming back stronger and stronger. God wanted me to tell him that God had a call on his life. And that he was destined to do great things for God. So after the final service I pulled him aside and had Amanda translate for me. It was amazing to think that someday I might get the chance to see him ministering. I prayed so hard that God would allow me the priviledge one day.
It was such a short time and I am not sure of how much of an impact we had. I guess part of doing ministry is not always knowing the outcome, but being faithful to God and loving people as much as we can when we are there.
Before we left for the world race I had met quite a few people that were hesitant to go on the world race because they knew how hard it would be to leave each place. I remember walking back up the dark road to our house as the rain fell down gently on me. I remember thinking that I didn´t know if I was ready for a year of this. I didn´t know if I was ready for heartache after heartache of goodbyes. But as I prayed for these people God really hit me with the phrase I had heard so many times before, it is better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all. Maybe it would be easier to stay in one spot and invest all I have in the people there. But If we as a group can take one year and leave a little bit of ourselves all over the world. And take the time to really love all these different people like God would. Maybe just maybe we can all start to make a difference wherever we are, whether it be for one week in a village in Mexico or the rest of our lives in America. It is all about living and loving those around us. And making the most out of every opportunity presented to us.
