It’s now been four years since I worked as a Sonshine houseboat camp counselor on Lake Shasta, but the memories flood in strikingly often here in Haiti.
Whether its the stunning sunsets on top of a flat roof, sleeping on a thin mat under twinkling stars, acoustic worship sessions late into the night, cooking pancakes over a hot stove, rebellious toilets that refuse to swallow TP, the absence mirrors, long quiet times in the morning, or the absolute freedom from media and internet….
Over and over I find myself reminiscing my summers on the lake, away from society, basking in deep fellowship with other believers.
(the rooftop where I find quiet everyday feels like the top of a housebat)
One thing that has become increasingly clear,
the primary "ministry" God is doing here is the relational ministry within our own house.
When 15 high schoolers are put onto a houseboat together for a week deep relational ministry always occurs.
Likewise, when 19 girls are stuck in a house together in Haiti for a month deep relational ministry takes place.
We often find ourselves in “The Compound,” the tiny house where our three teams of women are living,with plenty of time on our hands.
It is incredible how Christ is using this time to refine our character and stretch our faith.
Through times of tough spiritual warfare, he is showing us how to battle in the Spirit as we come together in hours of prayer and intercession. He is teaching us to sing his praises in the midst of spiritual and physical attack.
Through a variety of classes that some women have lead, he is taking us deeper into the Word than I have ever gone before.
Through times of sickness, he is showing us that he heals through our prayers.
Through hours of personal quiet time, he is engraving his word even more on my heart. I can’t seem to get enough time with him. Passages I have read countless times are becoming alive in my heart with a freshness and new depth.
Through hours of sweet conversation and exchanging stories, we have united as a team like never before.
I continue to be amazed by the hearts of the women around me.
I came into the Race desperately hungry to grow, hungry for the wisdom of older women, hungry to learn about the Spirit, hungry for hard truth, hungry for substance, hungry to grow.
God is filling that hunger through the women around me.
It feels like I am back at houseboat camp except instead of being the counselor, I am the camper.
When you go to camp, you expect God to show up.
You are hungry to grow, you want to change, you want to see God.
When you go on the World Race, you expect Him to show up.
And he always does.
Because when we expect a lot out of him, he can demonstrate his power.
He loves when we are expectant. He loves when we are hungry.
Expect more out of God, and he will do more with your life.
