(First disclosure the flash made me look like i just got
punched in the face so yeah look pretty funny)
The tile of this blog is one of things that ADV said we would do on The World Race. I knew I would get the chance to share the gospel and encourage pastors on this trip but discipleship is usually a longer process, or well it was in my mind.
I was a volunteer with and organization called Young Life for 3 years prior to this. In those years I dived deep with high school student, I discipled and made relationships with them. They took a while for them to develop, some were very fruitful and they still follow Jesus, and others heard about Jesus and decided to experience the world instead.
This is all I knew about discipleship. But this month it has changed.
I have done a lot of evangelism these past 5 months but discipleship, the pouring out of what I know about The Lord to another in multiple interactions, has not been a thing. How could anyone want to follow me, or even understand me due to a language barrier?
This was answer by a boy at the orphanage. His name is Dam-rung. He lives here with his 3 sisters and 2 brothers. He is 14 years old and his English is the best out of everyone here. That being said it is not perfect but he understands pretty okay.
He loves to hangout with me and just sit by me as I play Clash of Clans in the morning before class, yes that counts as ministry. He also sat with me for two house as I listened to a Cubs games on my phone. I sat there and explained baseball as much as I could. This is where it blossomed, but my first chance to talk with him about Jesus was when I did a speaking fast one day.
I decided to not talk and use that as a time to spend time Jesus and rest in him. But I intended to do it all day long, which didn’t work.
I was listening to worship music out in the yard and he comes up and starts listening as well. He starts trying to sing the songs and I start typing them out on my phone so he can try to sing them.
Then he started to say them wrong and I wanted to share what he was singing about and who he was singing to! So I broke my fast and started to talk and sound out the words he had trouble with.
I taught him a song called “Simple Gospel” and he sings it all the time now. He knows the meaning of the words, he’s not just a parrot like the others can be, he is truly singing to Jesus Christ, and this made me step back and wonder how this happened.
Our relationship continues to grow and when I spoke and gave a sermon the other day he was there listening intently. He desires to know more about Jesus.
I was doing my laundry and listening to a Judah Smith sermon entitled The Truth about Following Jesus. He decided to sit down and hangout with me. He sat there trying to listen to the sermon but couldn’t understand every thing. So I asked if wanted me to explain it and he said yes.
As I would tell him to pause it and I would do a synopsis of what was just said he would nod his head and say okay I understand or I don’t understand.
Judas Smith said if we choose to only follow Jesus every other day it won’t work it. We have to try and follow him every day. It will be hard, the hardest thing in the world but he provides us with a better life than anyone or anything can.
That through hard stuff we see growth. A diamond doesn’t get to be one without time and pressure.
It also talked about that everyone deserves to hear the gospel.
Dam-rung heard that and repeated it. I said yes, everyone which includes, your friends at school, people on the street, people who are bad and steal, people who are good, monks who choose to follow Buddhism, anyone and everyone should hear about how much Jesus loves them.
He said all my friends at school don’t know Jesus, I said then tell them Jesus loves them and get Vandy (the contact/orphanage patent) to talk with them. He smiled this time and said yes I understand.
This huge interaction all while I am hand washing my underwear. He understands show much Jesus loves him and wants others to see that.
I never thought I would get to see a moment like this. His eyes and face are always full of joy. He wants to know more and will continue to purse Jesus. This is my prayer for him as we have left his country.
I have been struggling with feeling numb to things around me and being to ready to leave a county and go on to the next. But now it’s getting harder to leave and the memories from other people I have met come flooding in. The Lord heard my petition from when I was questioning about doing the race.
I wanted to have interactions like the ones with my Young Life kids. Well I got one and Jesus used me to speak into a generation that can change a country and the world.
Dam-rung may be orphaned and abandoned from his real parents. But he knows how much I love him,and that Jesus loves him even more than I ever could and that’s saying a lot.
I don’t know what the rest of race will hold. It just over half done now. But I want to continue pouring into people and letting Jesus speak through me and use me for
His kingdom.
