Everytime I sit down to write a
blog I think, “What do people want to hear? What should I write about?� And
then I answer myself saying, “They probably just want to hear that I am safe
and what God is doing through my team and I.� However, I feel like that puts me in a potential box, a box
that hides the REAL ME. So I’m just gonna write whatever is on my heart and
mind. I’m giving myself permission to write…even if that means you don’t like
it. Thank you for understanding ahead of time that EVERY blog may not be for
you and you may not like it as much.
Cooking With Sydney from emily moss on Vimeo.
******C*O*M*M*U*N*I*T*Y******
I haven’t really lived in community for awhile.
I mean I’ve lived in a neighborhood and talked with friends and some
people. But I haven’t REALLY engaged in community recently where I share life with others. But community is a BIG part of this trip…both in our team & in the
country.
IN THE COUNTRY:
Day 2
We met this wonderful young
Christian lady, Masha, while walking around the town square. She knew our
contact here in the country because they go to church together. She immediately
stopped her day and showed us around Lutsk. EVERYDAY since, we have met up with
her to do an array of things here in Lutsk, from visiting the local Market (called the Bazarre) to getting ice
cream and sweets with her.
Doesn’t sound like “MINISTRY for
Jesus� does it? Probably not to
some people. Probably sounds more like hanging out and having fun. And honestly
this has been a challenge for me. I’ve been wrestling with thoughts like, “We
aren’t sharing the gospel, so what are we doing here?� and “Why are we in
Ukraine, just to ‘hang out’ and do things that are fun?� However, I’m learning
that ministry is more than just telling a stranger that God is real and the
rest of the Gospel story. Ministry is defined by what is on God’s heart…even if
it doesn’t “fit� my idea of what ministry should look like. Ministry is really
just obedience to God at any given moment. Therefore ministry can be inviting
someone to church or sitting around a sweets shop with our new friend. Ministry
can be preaching the gospel or touring Lutsk with our friend. Just because ministry
doesn’t look like this or that, nor feels like what I thought it should,
doesn’t mean it isn’t ministry. As
long as I’m being obedient to Christ, then I’m succeeding at “ministering.�
So COMMUNITY within Lutsk, these first couple of days, has meant we (Team L.Chaim)
spend time with Masha. It allows us to partner with another part of the
Christian Body and do life together. Community in Ukraine this first week has allowed us to encourage and be
encouraged by part of the Body here. Though community can and will look different in the coming days as we start our sports
camp with YWAM.
WITHIN OUR TEAM:
Another aspect of community is with those you are doing ministry WITH. So we live together, eat together, sleep
together, pray together, cry together, laugh together, read together, etc. LOTS
and LOTS of together-ness…in a healthy way. Being together forces us to get to
know each other and walk along side of the hard times and the good times.
“Bear
one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.� ~Gal.6:2
What is the Law of Christ?
“This is
My commandment,
that you love one another as I have
loved you.�
~Jesus,John
15:12
So, we bear one another’s
burdens,
as a way to love one
another, like Jesus loves us.
Lately God has been revealing
some personal things within me that He wants to change and heal. He has been
revealing them to me by living with other people. One thing specifically is
that I tend to be strong. Nothing is wrong with strength; its actually a good
quality He has made me to be. However trying to be strong all on my OWN…never
asking for help, even when I NEED it, is VERY VERY VERY unhealthy. I wasn’t created to depend on my own,
but to depend on God and on others. So that’s something He is changing and
healing in me. And talking to my teammates about it is a way to not be in
control and hidden and strong.
Team L.Chaim + our squad leader Jenny + Laura, a missionary we met!!
So COMMUNITY. We need. We need each other. (As much as I’d like to just do it on
my own.) I’m learning this…meaning I don’t have it all figured out.
So there may be updates pertaining to it.
