This post was written after the first full day of ministry.
I guess I still fail to see why I get to be here.
I guess I still struggle to understand and align with the fact that I was chosen.
I did not choose to do the Race, God strategically organized my life so that I could do the Race. Say what?
I mean, I know I’m cool and stuff, but not that cool. I am blessed and favored and I am grateful. Walked down the streets of the Philippines today, umm, who gets to say that? I’m pretty sure that I have never high-fived so many kids and I have never engaged a culture so kind and friendly. This place is so familiar, yet so strange. It is hard to explain, but it feels like I’m at home even though everything is totally foreign.
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I feel like I tried to prepare so intensely for the Race, but I realized that I did not get my heart ready to serve. How did I miss that? I prepared myself for living in community and committed to being vulnerable and asked God for wisdom on how to love my squadmates well and requests of that nature, but somewhere in it all, I failed to really pray for the people that we were coming to serve. Major fail.
So here I am sitting completely amazed that that huge component just flew over my head. I had focused on preparing my heart for the life change that was going to occur that I barely prayed for the life change that was going to occur in those that we will have the opportunity to minister to. Lord, forgive me for being self-centered.
So yes, it is really cool seeing the country and hanging with my squadmates and having major God-time, but I really need to get my life together and serve hardcore with everything that I have.
We are working with a ministry called Kids International Ministry until the end of the month and it is really a ministry empire and the people who head it are really people of God and are making an incredible impact in this community; it is extraordinary. From feeding street kids and taking in orphans to caring for girls who have been abused, this ministry really has a heart after the Father and we are so privileged to be a part of what God is doing.
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As a squad we have the opportunity to play with the kids at the children’s home, tutor at the school, pour into the girls who have been abused, help build a daycare, organize their library, cook food, pass out food, run Vacation Bible school-like activities and more. Individually, we won’t be able to do everything, but it’s awesome being part of a body of believers and knowing that together we can plant seeds and that God will bring more missionaries to water those seeds and over time He will bring the increase.
So it is September 14 and I am checking in for duty. I am here, I am willing, and I am ready to go. Send me, Lord, I’ll go!
….
Oh wait, I’m already here! Let’s do this, Jesus!
Please don’t be like me, wake up and see outside of yourself and pray that God can give you an amazing servant’s heart and that you impact your family, your friends, your community, and your enemies. Serve for Jesus because He’s worth it and He loves when His kids love each other. Be blessed and live chainless!
