Wow. Just sitting down to write this blog I’m feeling so overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by God’s goodness and everything He has been teaching me. I have so much I want to write, but I’m going to keep it to one aspect of what I’ve been learning for now.
This month my team has been serving a youth ministry called Formavida located at the tippy top of a mountain in Bogota, Colombia. Formavida opens their doors during the day and kids of all ages can come by before and after school. The teachers at Formavida feed them a meal, help them with homework, and teach them about God’s love.
This past weekend, Formavida hosted a 2 ½ day youth retreat for 63 kids ages 12-18. Before the retreat my team was told that we were going to serve as “work crew” for the retreat. We would be responsible for all of the behind the scenes stuff like cooking the meals, washing the dishes, sweeping, mopping, and setting up for different events. I had a hard time with that. I know that I came here to serve, but I wanted to be with the kids!
As the retreat progressed we were literally cooking and cleaning All. Day. Long. I’m talking from 7 in the morning until 12 at night. It wasn’t that I minded peeling hundreds of potatoes or washing thousands of dishes. I was just bummed that I didn’t have any time to hang out with the kids. I wanted to sing and dance with them, I wanted to teach them about God. One night, while washing the billionth spoon while hearing the kids singing and dancing upstairs, I was like, “God, you had me work for a youth ministry for the past two years. Why am I here washing dishes for DAYS when I have such a passion for working with youth and there is an amazing youth retreat happening right upstairs?!?!”
That’s when God began changing my heart.
I realized that if this youth retreat can run more smoothly because they have reliable help that can do the dirty work for 10+ hours a day, than so be it. I realized the beauty of the relationships that were being formed between the kids and the local adult counselors. Relationships and mentorships that will continue to grow long after I am gone. I realized that it’s not about me.
I am here to serve. Sometimes serving means putting together the bunk beds so the kids have somewhere to sleep. Sometimes it means chopping onions, cleaning toilets, and mopping muddy floors. Serving means feeding hungry bellies and creating clean spaces for kids to learn more about their Creator. God gave the teachers here at Formavida such a passion for His kids too, and this weekend I got to serve them in helping their dream come true of creating an incredible weekend retreat for kids on this mountain.
While God was changing my heart, He also blessed me immensely. Part of the youth retreat included a giant obstacle course. We got to create it. We not only got to use ropes, concrete blocks, giant tires, and ladders to create a muddy paradise, we also got to douse kids with water while they were army crawling through a muddy trench, and help them learn scripture as they flipped tires across the basketball court. It was such a blast, and God knows I love kids, mud, and the great outdoors. He is a good, good father.
This weekend was an incredible reminder of John 3:13 “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Please pray that God would continue changing my heart to become more like His, and help me appreciate the many ways He blesses me daily.
I miss and love you all!
