This is what was planned…
Team schedule for Friday, March 6:
9am Team meeting
11am-2pm Free Time (One-on-ones, Lunch)
2pm Team meeting (prepare for meeting)
3pm Meet with Orphanage contact
6pm Dinner
7pm Debrief
8pm Market visit
However, somewhere around 1:20pm, God changed our plans for Friday night. I received a phone call from an academy in another district. They wanted us to visit at 6pm. I asked if we could change to another day, but they insisted we visit that night. As ministry point person, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity, but knew it would rock the schedule. Instead of team dinner, we were going to eat with the contact. Instead of team debrief, we would be observing their classes. Instead of meeting with our first contact for an unlimited amount of time, we would need to set a limit in order to arrive to our second meeting on time.
Although the second meeting shifted our schedule, what was more important is that it ended up shifting our hearts.
When we arrived, we waited downstairs in the coffee café to be directed to our meeting. After a few minutes, the leaders came downstairs to meet with us. After arriving to the 6th floor, as we sat down, our team noticed the beautiful view from the academy windows—a beautiful skyline of the district. You could see so much from there—reminding me of God’s perspective. He can see the whole picture, not just where my feet are planted at that moment.
The meeting went very well—it was a beautiful story of the pastor’s heart for these children to become successful, not because of their talent but because of their manners (Christ-like actions). The pastor and supporters met physical needs before they pursue spiritual needs. Students are given free tuition, meals and dorms to stay in.
James 2: 16-17
If one of you says to him, “Go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.
In return for meeting physical needs, the leaders desire hardworking and creative students. They desire the students to answer: “What is your dream?” and fight for it.
As a result, the students are pursued by companies because of all of the skills they acquire at the academy (manners, fluency in three languages, etc). Their creativity is desired—currently, students are designing items to sell out of leftover materials. They created money purses, cell phone cases, seat cushions and purses out of leftover leather.
After our meeting, the academy blessed our team by feeding us dinner-side note: I can add octopus to my food bucket list! As we were eating dinner they asked us if we liked music and singing. Debbie is a musician of our group, so she was excited for the question. However, we didn’t expect to be asked to perform a song to the class of students. It was 6:50, and they said, “Class is at 7.” Needless to say, we quickly started searching for a song to teach the class and prepare hand motions for it. I learned my team could work very well under pressure, and even enjoy the time-crunch with great attitudes. Debbie picked “Joy to the World.”
As we were led into the room of 50 or so students, we were immediately thrown into teaching a group of students the words to the song and having them memorize it because we only had one copy per group. This was a bit challenging because there were so many students in the room (noise volume was crazy) and each group was on different lines in the song; but we were able to overcome the challenges and perform the song as a group and even incorporate some awesome hand movements (thanks Debbie)!
After learning and performing this song, we shared a memorable moment to the class. I shared about my decision to eat a tarantula, Debbie shared her testimony, Victoria shared her fall during the water fight in Cambodia, and Jen shared about her new identity outside of her hearing aids. Then the students sang another song for us: “I Love You, Lord.”
I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
Oh, my soul rejoice
Take joy, my King
In what You hear
Let it be a sweet
Sweet sound in Your ear
As I joined in singing with these university students, I praised the Lord for was a sweet sound these voices were making in His ear. How beautiful the picture of that moment was—when multiple tongues (Vietnamese, Korean and English) blend together to make a beautiful melody for the King of kings. I was richly blessed to see how the leaders of this school were able to instruct the students academically, but effectively incorporate Jesus into their curriculum and behavior expectations. To see how free education can return a meaningful and, more importantly, an eternal reward.
Lessons Learned:
1. These students desire and dream of a fantastic future but need something more satisfying than a great job. They need a Savior.
2. The leaders of this school are so humble, but continuously desire to challenge others to grow and become more than they are in that exact moment (even the visitors like ourselves).
3. Prepare a tool bag for ministry—of songs, of dances, of stories, of testimonies. And in the case of an empty tool bag—be ready to be spontaneous and carefree, live in the moment.
4. Try hard and give your best effort, but welcome mistakes. Be brave, His love will silence the fear.
5. Live out what your heart feels—in action, in word, in worship. Every situation brings Him glory if we allow it to. The heart is governed by a choice of the mind.
6. Seeing education blended with instruction from the Bible excites me for what my future looks like—in teaching, in education, in a community center.
7. God is working. In every heart, whether realized or welcomed. He is pursuing His children, lost and found.
