Having no plans can be fun. Yes. I said that. Me: the person who openly admits to loving color coordination, schedules, lists and all things organization. I love knowing what is expected from me and what to expect out of things. I love being able to plan ahead and to have back up plans. This month took all of that away. What I learned is that when you put down your expectations and lose control there is now space for God’s whimsy.
I saw His wonderment time and time again this month. I did not know for a single moment this month what I would be doing; and every day was an adventure. This month, my team and another team were led by a Nepalese pastor through the mountains of Nepal. We stopped at remote churches and homes to encourage people, tell them about Jesus and drink fantastic tea with them. We were seeing the Acts style church in action and spreading through the countryside.
One moment of unexpected delight occurred during the first few days of being with Pastor Bipin. We had just spoke at his church the day before and thought we would be meeting another church the next day. Sunday morning we woke up prepared to trek. We had our granola, crackers and tuna fish packed, scarves in hand and water filtered. We started off through the hills, following Pastor step by step. We walked hours on a small dirt path that wandered through people’s fields and up the hills. We crossed a river and continued on our way. The entire way we laughed and sang with the youth kids from Pastor Bipin’s church that decided to join us on the walk.
After hours of walking, we made it to the top of a very steep road. Pastor directed us inside a gate and asked us to sit down on an area of grass. We continued to follow his direction step by step. All of a sudden food came from what seemed like nowhere. Cups of Coke were served. I gave Pastor a puzzled look and our translator said, “Picnic.” As if that explains it all. With a shrug I joined the circle sitting in the grass and joined in singing worship songs as a guitar started to play. Suddenly, an elderly stranger jumped into the middle of our circle and started dancing a jig. His arms floated in the air and his feet hopped as his body spun around to the music we were playing. Clapping. Laughing. His orange garment twirling. A smile that filled the space. It was something out of a dream.
After lunch, I got up expecting to head to the church. We followed Pastor Bipin step by step away from the grass, when all of a sudden something caught my attention. Spots. Wait, what? A cat. A leopard. I look at Pastor again and our translator says, “Zoo.” That explains it all. We are at a zoo miles on a hill. How did this get here? Wait, there’s a ferris wheel? Crocodiles too. With my eyes wide like a child’s, I continued through the zoo. We laughed, danced and learned to worship in Nepali.
As the day went on I realized that ministry is not always in a church, or even in a building. Sometimes it looks like building friendships with the youth kids and going on an adventure. Ministry is life. It is in everything you do. That day I was amazed by God’s joy—His glee that resides at the surreal zoo on top of a hill.
