This month we are working with an organization that employs foreign teachers to teach English to the Vietnamese children. The classes run after school and on the weekends, and there are 3 age groups (4-6, 7-11, and 11-16). A lot of the teachers are going home for Christmas, so this month we are substitute teachers! Our team is split up in to 3 groups of 2, so that we do not teach alone (although that does happen sometimes). Fisher SuperKids is not a christian organization, but the founders do love the Lord!
Since the beginning of the World Race (and even before that as well) I have been asking God to instill in me a deep desire to earnestly pray. To pray for people and situations, but also a desire to be in constant communication with Him.
I recently (as in maybe a week ago) I realized that that is up to me to take that first step. I have to take that step out into vulnerability and blind faith. If you ask God for patience He will most likely provide you with situations where you could practice your patience. So I think God prepared this scenario in advance for me to work at my praying. Let me tell you a story!
A few mornings ago we had a meeting with Teresa (one of the founders) and a few of the christian teachers. At the end of the meeting the teachers shared with us how they bring Jesus into the classroom. They said it is a really difficult thing to do, but the easiest time of the year is at christmas time. During Christmas time it can be concealed because there it an be taught as a ‘history lesson’ as opposed to a religious lesson. A lot of the children here are raised Buddhist and are taught that religion is a bad thing from a very young age. One of the teachers shared about one time when she tried to share the Christmas story, a lot of the kids refused to participate because of this.
During this whole meeting I just felt a tugging on my heart, with a sense of urgency. We are given this opportunity to share Jesus at a public school. WE HAVE TO TAKE IT!
That evening I was going to teach 2 of the C classes (11-16 year olds) with Zachary, and he was on board with the idea. We decided we wanted to take the whole class to talk about different aspects of Christmas; Santa, who Jesus is, the story behind the decorations, Jesus’ birth, how christmas is celebrated around the world, and then the real reason Jesus came to the world.
The few days before this I had been reading Ezekiel and over the past 3 days I had had 3 revelations.
1. Ezekiel was called to share a message with the Israelites. It is also our job, as prophets and disciples, to share the word of the Lord. Maybe they will refuse to listen (just like the Israelites), but at the end of time they will know that the Father reached out to them. If we don’t share when God gives us a message, who will?
2. Before He was ready to share the message, God had to feed Ezekiel the scroll (which is the word of the Lord). He said it tasted sweet as honey, as does the bible when we study it. How are we expected to share a message if we don’t take the time to be fed?
3. The waiting game. God held Ezekiel’s tongue until God knew it was time to share this message. GOD HELD EZEKIEL’S TONGUE, how crazy is that. He literally could not speak until it was time. I don’t want to speak unless I know it is God’s words flowing through me.
God was showing me how Ezekiel’s story is similar to mine.
That afternoon I prayed a lot, praying for each of the children that would get to hear the Truth that night (maybe for the first time). I asked that God would hold our tongues, that we would not be eager to share for our own will, but that God’s will would prevail.
So after I had heard the message, I had been fed the scroll, and I had waited until my time, it was time to share.
Me and Zachary agreed that neither of us had ever had a class this interactive, and as excited to participate. We were able to show these children why we have christmas, why Christmas is important to us, and how santa became a part of this.
I am excited for the rest of the World Race (and the rest of my life!) to see how God will continue to mould me as I step out in faith. We don’t need to know what the next step will be, God knows. And that’s enough for me.
