I came into this trip with no expectations except for coming
out of it in November with a whole new understanding of who I am. I have seen
big steps into what I came for and out of that so much more has been shown to
me. In order to know more about myself I have to know more about God, more
about who Jesus is, more about who those around me are, and more about what
makes me who I am. All of these areas have been extremely scary to dig into
mostly because these are what I have held onto as value, my image, and what I
represent.
One example is my love and passion for camp ministry. I have
had people praise me for my efforts and accomplishments, and so I strived to be “that guy”� who is perfect and wise in that. I invested my time and money into
what I thought was “me”� because other people said so. I got my value from men!
That’s what became my God.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
I came into this year wanting to know more about myself. But
in order to do that I first have to know who Christ is. I’m learning that daily
through studying my Bible, serving people, and asking the Lord directly. I know
that I am in Christ as I have finally understood what it means to accept what
the Son of God did for me and what it means to follow Him. That is where my
identity comes from, Christ, and not what others think of me.
I go out everyday to play with children, to evangelize
through soccer, speak to youth, do house visits, work construction, speak in
church, one on one discipleship, and listen to people’s stories.
What do I do
them for? Is it to help because I can? Do I do it because I enjoy it? Do I do
it so I can travel around the world?
I do it because Christ did it first! I want to find my
identity and the only way I can do that is by following Him. To follow Him is
to do as He does. So here I am leaving Peru,
a place where I’m leaving behind a lot of memories. But more importantly taking
away a new understanding of what my life in meant to be. That is to Glorify God
in all that I am and do! I’m learning that you have to give in order to
receive!
