Peru! That’s right Peru, Peru, Peru. I’ve been in Peru for just over 2 weeks now and for the squad its included endless doctor visits for everything from strep, to altitude sickness, to parasites; you could say it’s been a bit of a crazy time. Not to mention it was 75 hours of buses to get here, which included a night stuck on a broken down bus in the middle of the Chilean desert.
Praise the Lord we made it and the greatness of this country is making up for the hard things. The bus rides are over, we are getting to know our ministry host, adjusting to the altitude, and pursuing our all girls team we have for just these few short weeks…
ANNND LICE!
You read that right- we brought lice all the way from Chile with us and 10 of the 12 of my teammates I’m living with had acquired lice by the time we found it. Now, look, this is the single country I haven’t gotten sick in within the first week of being here and I’m praying that the good health continues so you can imagine my panic when I heard the chances of me having lice. And the relief when I didn’t have any! The lice continued to wreak havoc on my team, yet I was adamant about wearing hats and headbands and keeping my hair up, determined to not get it, yet still trying to not get too paranoid about it.
It was then that I remembered a story and lesson I heard once while on a mission trip to Kansas City. I don’t remember the whole entire story but I remember the point. It was a story about a little girl who would come into the church but wouldn’t talk to anyone- too scared to speak. Her silence paired with the lice that covered her head, ragged clothes and closed off disposition told the people in the church she didn’t come from a very good home. She needed love. Yet, no one wanted to get lice, no one knew how she would react if someone were to try to get close to her. The risk was too high, not worth it. “I don’t want lice. Why can’t she clean up? That’s gross. She needs help, but not from me.” As the story continued, it was one man who took the risk of getting lice in order to love this little girl. In order to get close to her, to try to talk to her. Eventually it worked, eventually she opened up and it was a happy ending of showing her love. But it was a happy ending that took a push out of that boat of comfort we fall so easily into.
The challenge and take away from the story was, “Are you willing to get lice?” To w hat extent are you willing to go to be the hands and feet of Christ? How far will you stretch yourself? How much will you risk in order to bring life, light, and love to someone who needs it?
This is the thought I was challenged with as ministry began with VBS and english classes. With language barriers and uncertainty I was challenged with the thought, “How far am I willing to go to love another person?”
My answer, day after day, will be, “Lord, as far as you call me?”
