Alot of things float around the World Race circles………..and one of them is MANISTRY!! You could probably figure out from the name that this isn’t complicated.
MEN + Ministry = MANISTRY
Well, my first manistry experience was this past week. Our whole squad loaded up a bus and headed for the jungle. To a place called Chupare. Our job was to do the many tasks that came along with building an orphanage. We painted, dug septic lines, varnished bricks, built stairs, cleared out jungle brush, etc. So after 4 days, 6 of us men left for another village to help do some roofing. We lived in tents and other random spaces that we found to lay our sleeping pad down. There was one shower and so some of us jumped into the muddy river for an evening wash down.
We were excited! We were ready to let the testosterone fly! We were ready for the adventure ahead of us as we traveled further into the jungle. We had something to prove. We had a task to work towards. We were hungry for a challenge that would define us.
I enjoy challenges myself. I love shooting the breeze with “the guys”. No girls allowed! Men, tools, a goal! I enjoy these kinds of things. Back home I loved to head out into the bush and spend a week at a time out there. Me and the elements. Me and nature. I would fish for my supper, gather wood to make a fire, carry everything on my back for 90 kms, portage a canoe for miles at a time. I loved it! I felt like a man. I could do anything I set my mind to. I lived for adversity. I lived for accomplishment. I lived to compete with my buddies. I wanted to “the man”.
And so as the common theme of The World Race………………our plans changed!!
To make a some-what long story short, we ended up traveling back to Cochabamba. Our comforts that we were going to work towards as a reward were literally handed to us. We wanted to go back to our teammates and that wasn’t an option. And we had no idea what we would be doing for the next week until the girls came back. The truth was that we were where the girls wanted to be and they were where we wanted to be. Our idea of Manistry was starting to look alot different than we had expected…………
Our first day back in Coch consisted of us manly men of God tutoring at an orphanage. We helped the youngsters of 9 years old and under with their mathematics. After a few hours of that we headed to the central plaza to help with a baby washing ministry. One way I served was pouring water and giving shampoo to people who needed their hair washed.
The rest of the week we spent going to church on Sunday, watching some “manly” movies, and serving at another orphanage by painting. What a week of spending time as men and enjoying each other’s company.
This past week has showed me alot about the Lord’s humor and how much I think I have things under control. First off it seemed like we were doing “girly” jobs that didn’t require any “manliness” whatsoever to do. Our whole vision of a hard working endeavor turned out to be a relaxing and sometimes lazy seeming kind of thing.
As I reflect back on the week, I’m amazed at how none of us complained at all. We got all of the tasks done. We are all still standing united as one solid group of young men. I see now how it took a man to do the things we did and at the end of the day say “I enjoyed my experience and thank the Lord for the opportunity to do them”. It all comes down to humility. And it takes a real man to be humble. We had the choice of complaining and annoying each other, but we didn’t. We could have said these things are no fun and walked away, but we didn’t. We walked heads high knowing that we would make a difference in someone’s life. We did in fact have some adventure as this whole situation unfolded as well. Our trip back to Coch took over 7 hours when normally it would take around 5. A mudslide had covered a half mile stretch of road on the mountain side. So in the midst of a rain storm and chaos of travelers trying to catch buses across the road block, we managed to make it back. We were cold, hungry, wet, and dirty. It felt like we were in one of those natural disaster movies. It was enchanting and yet kind of scary at the same time.
And so I’m encouraged by my teammates. I’m encouraged by my attitude this past week. And I’m thankful for the journey that the Lord took me on. When I think I have it all figured out, I don’t. And so I can be that man of God that moves forward for what lies ahead or I can turn my head and walk away…………………I choose to walk head held high and ready for anything that comes before me.
