Teaching cute little kids a song at a school we randomly stumbled upon
You're impressed with that alliteration right?? It just came to me, thanks ENC for my awesome English degree!
Ok so my last blog I talked about 3 awesome women who are completely dedicated to sharing the love of Christ with people in their town. And now I'm going to share how God gave me a tough wake up call through them.
So here are some honest thoughts:
I'm doing this because I wanted more. I wanted more than sitting around, drinking Dunkins (oh how I miss you) and watching life pass me by. I wanted more than making sure I had the newest book (I'm so nerdy!). I wanted more than sitting in church Sunday after Sunday just listening. I wanted more. I knew God wanted more from me. I was ready for a radically different life.
So I signed up for this crazy, incredible adventure. I totally bought in heart and soul to the idea of making a difference in the world. I was going to hug orphans, feed widows and share the love of Christ with those who had never heard His name. And here's a quick recap of what I've done in the past 7 1/2 weeks since arriving in South America: preached in churches to people who already believe in Christ (and don't really understand what I'm saying), painted benches, walls and railings, macheted the jungle, "helped" with vbs (I say "help" because let's be honest, I don't speak Spanish enough to do anything other than play games and sing songs) and done visitation. Tons of visitation–which involves walking from house to house inviting people back to church. That's about it. And I started to get frustrated and questioned God.
Where are the orphans and the widows? Where are the unbelievers? Where is the church that needs to be built or the wells that need to be dug?
And God answered quickly and forcibly with everyone's favorite: more questions.
"When did you volunteer to help upkeep your home church? When did you visit those in the church who were sick or lonely or who hadn't showed up for a while? When did you help someone with their back breaking job purely for the reason of showing them that I love them? When did you volunteer to help with vbs?"
The questions kept coming. I realized that I was living a life radically different than I had in the US! I'd had all these opportunities to make a difference in Quincy and I didn't. I was lazy and those things didn't seem "cool" enough to spend my time on. Who was I to judge what God would find important or not. Who was I to decide the "best" way to serve and actually start living my life?
So first, Wollaston I'm so sorry that I didn't live out my faith while I attended there and I promise, if I end up back in Quincy you have a helper for any project or program! I'll visit anyone and everyone! And you always have a vbs volunteer!
Secondly I now am completely dropping my expectations for what this adventure should look like (weird, the staff at training camp told me to do that back in May–I sure do listen well huh?!?!). I'm content being an encouragement, in helping where there is a need, no matter how big or how small. I wonder how God could trust me with the "big" things when I have so failed at the "little" things. But no more! I am a lean (ok not so lean), mean (ok not that either) visitation machine! I am the joyful church attender no matter the language being spoken and I am the changed woman who when I return to the States am going to give it all because I fully grasp that I could have been living this extravagant life in Quincy. I was just too lazy and bored to do it.
So here's my challenge to you: have you been wanting more? Do you read my blog or other blogs and feel like there is something more? That YOU could be doing something more? Then do something! If you need to do something big and crazy then definitely check out Adventures in Missions, they have trips available for anyone and everyone! Young, old, families, churches, everyone! But if you feel the stirring that your neighborhood, city, state or local church could use workers than do it! Volunteer! Visit those who haven't been in church or the lonely or the elderly! Or that mom you always see looking so tired with her 4 kids running around, go out on a limb and volunteer to babysit. Do something. Be an encouragement and light. Be Jesus where you are. Be like Martha, Margarita and Amanda, never tiring of showing God's love. We can make a difference in this world! We just got to start somewhere. Anywhere.
Awkward Family Photo at one of the houses we visited. We love awkward family photos!
I taught Martha how to make an apple pie–I struggled with the crust without a rolling pin but it was still delicious!
