I had no idea what to expect at ministry this past month. The description provided was vague, but that was OK. I realize this year isn’t about knowing it all or having it all together. It’s about serving the Lord, abandoning self, and growing in Him to bring His Kingdom to Earth.
So, when we showed up to Camp Hope our first day, I hesitantly awaited directions from our host, the teacher. I was placed in the occupational class with the 12 oldest and biggest “children.” I use the word “children,” because that is how they had to relate, being extremely debilitated both physically and mentally, though the youngest was actually 15 and the oldest 29. Only 1/3 of the students in my class were able to speak (though some more were able to communicate through letters/pictures) and about half were orphaned. Disabilities are more prevalent in Ecuador than in the rest of the world, so our partner organization, Fundacion Cristiano Campamento Esperanza was founded to help relieve the burden on some Ecuadorian families by providing education and hope for a future for these disabled children, and to become family to the those who have been abandoned.
On my first day, unfamiliar with the children and each of their abilities, I was asked to sit with “J” to help him paint in a heart cut from styrofoam, a project for Valentine’s Day (they sell cards and projects to help fund their organization). Ordinarily, this would be a very straightforward task – even for a child – but an incredible feat for these children. Their obstacles are severe, often a combination of cerebral palsy, various paralyses, deafness, autism, and more. I would learn that J, who could barely feed himself (I once cleaned up his vomit simply because he fed himself too fast and he cannot digest anything too solid nor too liquid), could only respond to certain things, like clapping to music, moving seats, or following a soccer ball. When it came to directions in painting this styrofoam heart, he was simply unable to comprehend my words and connect them to what he was doing.
“Here, J, paint here,” I would instruct him in his native tongue. Again, I would repeat, “Paint here, J. Paint the white part.”
Any instructions I provided seemed to be in vain. J would not move that paintbrush off of the area he’d already colored bright red.
Suddenly it hit me. How many times has my Heavenly Father tried to guide me in the right way, gently saying, “Here Brynne… Come this way. Walk this path,” only to be met by dull ears, or worse, flat-out refusal. Over and over He calls us to Himself, never tiring, never frustrating, never giving up. He stands in opposition to me, in ministry for only a day and already ready to throw in the towel convinced that J will never paint the whole heart. Praise God that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:9) Praise God that He seeks us out continually by revealing Himself to us in all things. (Romans 1)
Lord, let my ears be sensitive to Your calling and Your Word always. Never tire of guiding me, no matter my lack of understanding or naturally rebellious heart. Love me through it all. Paint my whole heart red, a crimson red to bleed for You alone. Amen!!!
^Photo of Team Fierce the last week of ministry at Camp Hope! Courtesy of http://evacranford.smugmug.com
