Before the World Race, I had only been on 1 local mission trip. I was younger and don’t have a clear memory of it, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t do much. Then, a year ago, Jesus put this huge passion and urgency on my heart to leave my home, my family and my friends to serve Him and His people all over the world.
Coming into the race my ideas of mission work overseas included orphanages, building houses from the ground up, house visits in the poorest villages, etc. My expectations were shattered quickly during month one. Jesus has opened my eyes so much and showed me that life is ministry. That even the smallest of things can be used by Him to further the kingdom. Mission work is about bringing lift and bringing Jesus wherever you are, whether that’s through spirit and the way you walk or physical service.
In Cambodia, I have experienced the widest variety of ministry so far:
Sometimes ministry looks like trying to keep 15 3-5 year olds entertained for 3 hours.
Other days, ministry means wrapping books in plastic at a soon-to-be cafe library run by Christian missionaries.
And after you’ve finished wrapping books, ministry looks like painting and cleaning the back of the cafe library so that some of the Christian missionaries can live there.
Ministry can also look like playing games with trauma patients that speak no English for 3 hours straight so they have something to do for a few hours.
Sometimes ministry looks like washing those patients’ caregivers hands and feet, then painting their nails.
But ministry can also look like creating birthday, anniversary, thank you, and mother’s day cards for the hospital to sell.
And some days, ministry will be helping a sweet missionary couple move into and clean their new home.
Some mornings, ministry looks like letting a cute street kid listen to your music, play with your phone, write in your journal and sit in you lap (all while giving you lice in the process).
And some days, you get an incredible opportunity to go to a village in the middle of nowhere with a missionary medical team and do vitals on locals that would otherwise not have access to any medical care.
Day by day, Jesus opens my eyes to the things of Him, showing me that He’s ever so present everywhere and in everyone. Ministry is everywhere if you open your eyes wide enough.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can.”
– John Wesley
