Embarking on the 8th month, you are beat. You’ve been runnin all around these countries, taking in new cultures, submerged in new families, looking for Jesus in the different branches of each leafy nation. Your eyes register so many faces, experiences fill your brain, and change is a constant thing. Change in location. Change in yourself. Change in the people around you.
As a mere human, you sometimes wonder how much more you can take in. We often joke on my team about when and where we were for the memories that we’ve made because it all mushes together.
As we piled into the bed of a yellow truck and made our way up the mountain to the orphanage where we are working at, there was a different crisp in the air.
I let my feet hang off the back, admiring the fall leaves and mountains surrounding me, I felt a warm movement inside my heart; like adding a new piece of wood to my fire.
It was one of those times in life where you just want to press pause and stay forever. It was two hours of simplicity, Jesus’ abounding romance, beauty, curiosity, and reflection.
I had a great feeling about this month even though I’m not doing my “desired” ministry.
I often feel like as racers, and earthly beings in general, that we focus too much on a grand experience but never take time to go through the process – whether it’s something you expected or something that you did not.
I want to go through the process of this month. I want to let the experiences, interactions and relationships whisk me away into a place where I can truly admire the work of the Lord and submerge myself into a ministry without thinking about the next country that I’ll be in.
As the truck pulled into the driveway, we were met by 40 girls, eagerly awaiting their first World Race team. Only a few short hours passed by until my team and I found ourselves being welcomed into their second worship session of the day.
I could immediately see that these girls are well loved and so taken care of. The second I stepped into that worship room, I was so incredibly overwhelmed with The Presence, showing just how truly discipled they are too. Jesus was freaking everywhere. His Holy Spirit was pouring out of these girls, which by the way, are only between the ages of 4 and 11.
Guys, it was a serial experience that I never wanted to stop. In those moments the only thing that rang through my ears was a quote from the world race promo video: “You will find that they will change you, way more than you could ever change them.”
As that played on repeat in my brain, my eyes took in the beautiful view of my 40 new sisters worshiping their hearts out to the same Papa that I worship. Hands raised, swaying back and forth, belting out praises from deep inside, displaying the authentic love that was flowing through them and then dumping it all out at Jesus’ feet.
I couldn’t help it. My eyes began to fill with tears. My heart just couldn’t handle the amount of love and Holy Spirit that was pumping through the atmosphere. It was a tiny glimpse into the love that HE holds for all of us and He just so happened to use His small, gorgeous daughters to show me that.
As the tears rolled down my cheeks and my heart filled with warmth and joy, I could not stop thinking about how lucky I am and what an honor it is to be in this place with these tiny women.
“They will change you, more than you could ever change them”.
It’s as simple as that. I’m so humbled by the love of these girls and their mentors that I can’t focus on anything else. It’s so genuine, real and raw. The love that they are receiving in their hearts is straight from Jesus.
They don’t need me or my team. We need them.
And I have no doubt in my mind that Jesus is going to teach me and my team something big through them.
I guess all I have left to give to them is the space and access into my heart to go through the process with them. Loving on them with Jesus’ love and letting them love on me. I sure am grateful to have the privilege to be with this ministry during month 8. An extremely blessed life.
At the end of worship that night, the girls gifted the whole team with a bouquet of flowers to welcome us and display their love.
THANK YOU JESUS!!!!
