Yep, you read the title correct.
I, Megan Smith, a World Racer in Month 8, am sitting here and honestly, ministry has NOT been my favorite this month.
(Not trying to be a “Debbie Downer,” or anything just being real…)
Now, that being said I want to clarify some things before I explain further:
1) Our ministry host/the people we have been working with; are great! Love them and they’ve been so loving to us, we feel like family!
2) We are with another team; TEAM WARRIORS! Basicially, we work out, play lots of games, laugh a lot, and eat even more than we laugh! Team Warriors are comprised of 7 beautiful ladies who I don’t know all that well, so it HAS been a joy to be with them, getting to know them, serving alongside them, and just doing life with them!
We had a team time of a relay race organized by Linsey! It was AWESOME!
Okay, now that those 2 things have been addressed, here’s what I’ve been feeling lately.
Okay, so week 1 was a lot of “behind the scenes,” work. Which, was a nice change from the typical look of World Race ministry. We are usually front and center, kind of a big deal, being shown off. It’s just a reality. Take a couple of Americans, put them in another country, BAM you’re famous!
It was weird because there was a church camp going on and we weren’t directly involved or asked to be involved at all. We weren’t invited to play games, or sing, or just fellowship with them that much. We were responsible for helping to cook and then clean when they weren’t in the building. We didn’t really get to know the kids or adults that well. I personally, felt out of the place a lot of the time – like I was in the way or not wanted around or a burden or something. It was awkward. Don’t get me wrong, it felt a lot like a mission trip, but without the community culture that mission trips create. We helped cook and clean: 2 things I don’t necessarily like or dislike or are particularly good at. (PS people with OCD – are the WORST in the kitchen or cleaning, we take forever with every task. I literally got kicked out of the kitchen one day because I wasn’t cutting cabbage fast enough, no lie!)
Week 2 has essentially been the same kinds of things. No camp this week, so we are just in this giant building, cleaning the inside as well as the property so it is all ready for the next batch of campers (next week they come I believe.) They are VERY specific with how to do things. I have never made a bed look so nice in my life (sorry mom.) It’s a lot of work, a lot of steps, but also a lot of downtime. We all KNOW I don’t always “rest,” and do “downtime,” all that well for lengthy period of times. My time with the Lord has been great; but I can only read so many books, absorb so much information before I feel like my brain will explode. We are also kind of confined to the property. There is literally nothing to do in walking distance but a corner store and I’m trying hard to save up money until debrief at the end of the month. So I bought a basketball yesterday for less than $6 so now I have that to do, but it gets lonely playing by yourself a lot!
I really should be thankful for the rest. We have 3 1/2 months left of the Race and we end in Africa. Life will look a lot different and time is absolutely going to fly, I know it. It is also our last week with these teams. Team changes are coming at debrief! It is just a lot; but at the same time, not so much. We only worked like 4-5 hours of ministry today. The rest of the time has been meal and down times.
I need to embrace the rest. I am learning and growing so much. I’m just a do-er. I’m trying to just “be,” and release control and the feeling of the need to constantly needing to be doing something/keeping busy.
So when ministry isn’t your favorite, you just need to stay in constant communication with God. PRAY. Find the positives of it, and just embrace it.
This is life.
You will NOT like everything, but you still have to live!
