Lately our ministry has been looking a lot like labor work. Here in Swaziland, my team is working with a Carepoint. Carepoints are similar to an after school program where kids can go to be discipled, have fun, and eat a meal provided by the Carepoint. Kids walk miles and miles to have most likely their only meal of the day. It’s not the type of ministry that you see at VBS like I always expected. We are showing Christ’s love by digging a trench for the ministry host. We are creating a “fence” for the playground. The fence is made out of soft tires to prevent the kids from constantly getting hurt.
The days are long and hard in the African sun. Most of the time we are digging out more rocks then we are dirt. I’m convinced that if it was in the dark, my metal shovel would create sparks from hitting so much rock. It’s tedious, but it is a tangible way to love the community here in Swaziland.
I have been learning a lot from the Lord recently in doing this ministry. Our ministry host asked if I had ever done construction before and I told him how my family owned a company building houses. His question reminded me how I help my grandma in her yard at home and how I always dread it, but even if it’s not what I want I should still do it. And just like here, even if scooping rocks and dirt to create a fence is not what I want to do, I should do it for the Lord. And he has showed me that I can do hard things through him, and for him. My hard work is so that kids can have a safe place to be and to play. This is my ministry for the month, and I love how God is teaching me things as the days go on. I’m learning new things every day, and learning that every thing I do should be to glorify the Lord.
