When you think about ministry, your first thoughts are probably of preaching, working in orphanages, and sharing the gospel on a street corner. While these are all great ministries, I am learning that there is so much more than this! Since being in the Philippines, my team and I have experienced a lot of unique ministries. I am learning that you can’t put ministry in a box. The gospel is to important to only share in “set” ministries.
The first ministry I experienced in Bulacan was a massage lesson. Our host for the month is trained in acupressure and massage therapy. He took the time to teach us different techniques that we could use on each other. Now you may be asking, how is this ministry? Well let me tell you, being a missionary is not easy on your body. I have slept on the ground for 3 out of the last 4 months. We walk a lot. Furniture isn’t prevalent thing in other countries, so we sit on the floor quite a bit. We play with kids a lot, and that often means picking them up- and becoming a human jungle gym. Month 3 we worked on a play park and raked and slashed grass for 4 to 6 hours a day. When your body hurts it just becomes another barrier for sharing God’s word. By learning some acupressure techniques, I gained a skill to bless my teammates with and allow them to be in a better place to share the gospel with others.
My next ministry experience was being trained in an ancient Filipino fighting called ‘Arnis’. In this style of fighting you use two sticks that are about 2 feet long and spar with a partner who also has two sticks. Our team went with our host down to the plaza, the middle of the city, and began to learn the basics of Arnis. He would demonstrate the move, and then we would spread out with a partner and practice. It was so much fun! I’m not sure if I’ve ever laughed that hard in my whole life. Now you may be asking yourself again, how is this a ministry? Well, after about an hour of us ‘training’, locals started to approach. Who wouldn’t be interested in learning what 11 American females were doing, practicing Arnis in the middle of a small Filipino city?! Kids came by us and wanted to learn as well. We were able to give them some sticks and teach them the small about of information that we knew about Arnis. While many of the people didn’t know English, we were still able to bond with smile and laughter. Who knows what those children’s lives are like when they go home… The simple moments of laughter and fun could mean the world to them. At the end of the day, that is ministry! Sharing the love of Christ with others! Letting them know that they are loved by us and more importantly, by God!
This next ministry might be the one that I am most excited by… Basketball is the national sport of the Philippines. Now if you know me, you know how exciting that is for me. I played basketball from when I was four years old to when I was 21. I love the game, and I have a strong passion for it. When our team met Pastor Oscar, we were challenged to a basketball game. Our team vs. him and the youth from the church. Excited was probably an understatement. We played a practice game last Sunday and I had a blast. Whether I’m in my college gym at home or the small 3 on 3 outdoor, half court next door to our church this month, a hoop and a ball make me feel right at home. We played in front of crowd of about 10 people- and everyone chanted “America, America” for the last 5 to 10 points. The game was played at 9 o’clock at night and I sweat more than I probably have in my whole life.. It was totally worth it because it was a really cool opportunity to bond with the youth and the pastor over something that we both really enjoy. Next week we have the opportunity to to play an organized game against the main pastor of the church and some of the youth. We are advertising the game and are planning on sharing the gospel at halftime! Some of the girls from the youth group also asked me to teach them how to play basketball, so I can’t wait to hang out with them and teach them some stuff that I have been practicing my whole life. It’s so incredible to have the opportunity to use my passion for the game as a ministry!
I’m learning a lot here in the Philippines, the biggest thing being that ministry can be anything! You don’t have to work in a church or be a missionary to spread God’s kingdom. The Lord has given us passions and hobbies for a reason. We can use those things to bring glory to Him. Whatever I choose after the Race, whether that be full time missions, teaching, or something completely different, I can consider it all ministry as long as I have the mindset to bring glory to the Lord. We are all Kingdom workers, and whatever your role is in the kingdom is important! No ministry is more important than another- and we have so much freedom in the ministries that we choose to do. We are surrounded by opportunities, we just have to be willing to look outside the box.
My final fundraising deadline is April 30th and I still have $2,369 to raise! I would love if you would consider partnering with me on this journey by making a financial donation, so that I can stay on the field! Any amount is appreciated more than you will probably ever know.
God is good y’all!
