Ever have one of those days where you know that you have to do something, like write a blog, and there is so much that you want to say, but you don’t know where to start…
Four days ago we had VBS – the day after 75 kids and we only had about 35 kids…it was a torrential downpour, lightning hit the church multiple times, the power went out – we had all of the kids inside and no one could hear anything…BUT we just skitted it up, doing skits showing them the calling of the disciples, Jesus calming the storm, Peter walking on water…(all weather appropriate of course 😉 ) All in all a kind of stressful day, but somehow God used that in the kids lives.
The next day, I was sick with some kind of weird stomach cramps that left me lying in bed begging for mercy.
Yesterday, ministry was cancelled…Pastor Manuel decided to not to take us because of inclement weather…
Today, it is our last day of VBS and we want to do something that is meaningful and memorable for the children but also highlighting why were are here in the first place, not for our own gain, not for our own conscience, but that the world might see HIM in who we are and what we are doing.
There are Mormon missionaries who are also in the same area that we are staying, yes it’s nice to see a different white face of English speakers every now and again, but it is hard to just watch them going by, so confident in what they believe in when I know that Jesus Christ is the only way. My usual response is to pray. Today the two “elders” were a little more aggressive with inviting us to their neck of the woods for Spanish lessons, etc. I sometimes struggle with the black/white/gray areas of how a different pursuit can lead to the same end…but I really don’t believe that the Mormon faith is one that ultimately points to Jesus and so in that sense I am praying that they somehow find Him in their walks and ministry – or even that they see Him in us, because ultimately they aren’t going where we’re going.
I don’t know what my lesson(s) will be from the Dominican Republic, I know I’m only halfway through, but I do know that God is showing up when we ask Him to, sometimes we just have to shut up, step aside and let HIM be the one that it’s all about.
I’ve never been so tired of being an American. Because of this signal that America sends out, that we are rich, we have it all figured out…it sure makes it harder to be on the World Race with the budget we have…and the fact that we DON’T have it all together…and just be ok with knowing that we are here for a reason, God is growing us through this – we aren’t able to give just a massive amount of money that would fix everything, but God doesn’t call us in to be Superman and make it all better, He is just asking us to serve. I am not here to get on the evening news, I’m not here to “dun dun dun” SAVE THE DAY!!!…I am here because for some unbeknown to me reason God wants ME here, in August, in San Juan, in Mogollon.
Maybe this will be a month of growth, a month of changing what I think it means to serve a community, or maybe I will see an actual result to whatever it is that I do here. Either way, problems aren’t solved by throwing money at them. Yes some are called to go, and some are called to stay behind and support – no role is better than the next, but just know that we are not leaving behind a trail of dollar bills. We as World Racers, are getting as ingrained into the community as we can in 3-4 weeks and when we leave, we are taking a piece of the community in exchange for the piece of ourselves we are leaving behind. As I often say after random moments of delving deeper than I was expecting, “I just have a lot of thoughts/feelings.” I don’t know if this is for me…or for whoever is reading this, but God is moving and words are not enough. Let God move and worry about the words later, don’t limit God with what you are capable of expressing. Forget “Christian-ese” pray earnestly and honestly, ASK for what you are afraid to receive.
