To preface this blog post, this past month my whole squad (41 of us) has been living together on our contact's property out in the countryside of Lezhe, Albania. This property is used as a camp over the summers. We spent our past month helping prepare the property for the chillins to come.
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“George is totally Miyagi-ing us” has been a common phrase throughout our group this month.
You know, like Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid: forcing his pupil to do seemingly pointless tasks in order to teach him a lesson that will be extremely beneficial in the long run.
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Move this stack of rocks here.
Then move it there.
Then haul it onto a trailer so we can dump it somewhere a mile away.
Pull the nails out of this wood.
Then stack it here.
Then stack it on the other side of the property.
Go through the whole process again tomorrow.
Take the sheep to this field.
Then sit and watch them for hours.
Make sure they don’t eat the trees.
Whitewash this wall.
Then do it again.
Then do it one more time.
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Some of us really struggled with these tasks at first. Common thoughts were:
“This seems pointless.”
“What are we doing here?”
“How are we helping?”
“Are we really making a difference?”
“Why do we have to do things this way? It seems a little illogical to me…”
“How is God being honored in this?”
Just like the Karate Kid.
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In hindsight, I now see that most of these questions arose from ignorance.
Looking out on the property today, we can see a major difference in its appearance. Things look cleaner, safer, and “smarter”. Rooms of supplies are organized. Broken tools are fixed. The playground is set up for the kids to enjoy at camp this summer. The animals are taken care of and their living conditions have been renewed – thus enhancing the self-sustainability of this property. Websites are improved. Fundraising information has been gathered. Inventories have been made.
It would have been difficult for George to do all of these things without our help.
Similarly, looking upon our group today, we can see a major difference in our appearance as well. We have become much more disciplined, mature individuals. We have grown in our unity as a squad because of it. We have grown immensely in the “Karate Kid” atmosphere George has facilitated for us. Our passion for God and for life has been renewed because of it. We have learned lessons that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. All of which came from seemingly “pointless” tasks.
It would have been difficult for us to learn all of these things and grow without George’s help.
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George, our Mr. Miyagi, has been one of the wisest, most influential individuals I have ever met. In having a conversation with him last week, he told me something along the lines of, “I know it might be hard to tell sometimes, but I love you guys more than anything. That’s why I’m pushing you so hard to grow. I only have one month of your lives in my hands in order to impact you, and I’m going to take it seriously. I’m not going to mess around. We’re going to get serious.”
And get serious he did.
Every morning this month, George facilitated a study for us on the book of Proverbs. Every morning he would pour out his wisdom upon us. Every morning he would challenge us. Every morning he would inspire us to be the best we can be.
Then, throughout the work days, he would “Miyagi” us, as I described earlier. He wouldn’t take crap from us. He wouldn’t accept half-hearted attitudes. He would call us out on our bad habits. He would demand the best from us. He would challenge us to grow up and “think smart”. He would encourage us to apply what we had learned each morning in Proverbs to our lives.
Through such an attitude and actions, George has sharpened us more than I thought we could ever be sharpened on this Race. He has shown us love in the most influential way. He has called us to a higher place. He has prepared us for what is to come.
For those things I will forever be thankful. For those things I know I will walk away from this Race saying that Albania was one of my favorite months. For those things I know that I will forever be a better person. I know that I will live a better life. I know that I will make a bigger impact on the world.
For those things, I am extremely thankful that we have met George… and that we have been “Miyagi-ed”.
