This last week I have been working with the ENTIRE squad (45 people!) at Lightforce Ministries in Lezhe, Albania. This location of Lightforce Ministries holds a children’s camp in the summer, and in the off season of that they run a farm in order to be a self sustainable ministry. The farm not only funds Lightforce Ministries here in Albania, but also in Uganda – where they have a secondary school and a vocational school.
This week has been a full week of manual labor, lots of manure, and many animal smells! We have only been here a little over a week, but I have already been well acquainted with the farm life. I have gotten to help with the pigs, goats, do some demolition, garden, help with a concrete path, move hay bales, clean, and shovel lots of manure!
At times it would be easy to ask – how is this mission work? BUT when I humble myself I realize that the menial tasks we are doing here are helping to free another missionaries time. And in turn, this missionary can spend his time doing more important things in the community.
Being a short term missionary has helped me realize that I am a small part of something much bigger. This week has helped me learn more on how to die to myself, and to live for Christ.
“And He was saying to them all, ‘if anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me’.” Luke 9:23
Even though I don’t WANT to shovel the poop… I am going to do it with a positive attitude. Not because I have to, but because my attitude is a choice. Choosing joy has helped make this week so much more enjoyable than it could have been.
Yesterday for instance – it was raining and we still had to work on the farm. As I was standing out in the rain, waiting for my next wheel barrow of manure to shovel into the garden… I very well could have had a negative attitude. Instead, we made up poop songs and jumped around to keep warm.
Outlook is everything.
When you have an open mind, and an open heart – God can mold you, and USE you.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Speaking of having an open mind – our ministry is changing! Samaritans Purse needed more workers to help with the influx of refugees in Lesbos, Greece. They have about 1,500 refugees come in on boats and rafts daily. Since my squad was close enough to the area, Adventures in Missions asked our host if he would let us go and help there instead of staying on the farm. George graciously said yes, and now we are packing and getting ready to head out tonight!
We are going to be taking a 12hour charter bus ride tonight to Athens, Greece – where we will have a 6hour layover until we get on a ferry to head to Lesbos, Greece which should take around 9hours.
We are about to be going into a very different ministry environment – so prayer as we try and get ready for the shift would be greatly appreciated. Personally, with the revelation from debrief about how I have been numbing myself to pain and negative emotions – I am a bit concerned with how I am going process this relief work.
With my background of social work studies, I am able to think about it from a logical stand point – but I also don’t want to turn myself off to these emotions we are bound to experience. I want to process this, and continue to work through the emotions that surface. I also know that I need to practice self care, and compartmentalizing this is going to need to happen.
Prayer Requests:
– Health and energy for the whole squad and I as we head into this new work. We will be doing 12hour shifts of relief work with the refugees.
– the squad and I’s emotional health and processing through these next few weeks.
– The refugees safety, health, and emotional health through this difficult transition and situation.
– Lightforce Ministries, that God will continue to bless George and his work, and help him with the work that we originally were going to be helping him with.
I attached a video from the Samaritans Purse website that briefly shows what we will be doing, and who we will be helping.
Thank you so much as you continue to partner with me in prayer through this journey! I also still need $3,269 to be fully funded – so if you feel led, please donate by clicking the “Support Me” tab.
