I’ve heard it said by former racers that ministry will probably not look like what you think it will look like. I never really understood what that meant until now. It all stems from expectations. Nobody can really avoid them. Think about it… You expect to be at work on time, you expect that the carnival will have a merry-go-round, you expect your spouse to treat you with respect, you expect the home team to win (unless you are a Cubs fan).
But interesting things happen, right? You hit traffic, the merry-go-round is there but is broken, your wife cheats on you, and the underdog actually wins. Now, what is the reaction we normally give to all of these hypotheticals? If you and I were honest with ourselves, we’d most likely be pissed off and /or baffled to various degrees.
Our ministry location for the month is in Lavender Hill, a pretty dangerous area outside of Cape Town, South Africa. We’re talking gangs, heavy drugs, theft, prostitution, you name it.
When I think of Africa, I think of orphans and giraffes, not gangs. Expectations shattered.
We usually have a weekly plan of how we will be ministering to people, so each day I wake up with thoughts on how exactly the ministry is going to go and what we will accomplish. However, every day something happens that throws me for a loop. Whether it be painting a classroom being cancelled due to an unforeseen circumstance, or visiting an orphanage to play with kids only to find out that the “orphanage” is actually a community center for troubled youth that attempts to get them back in school (with no kids present at the time of our visit).
Here is my point to all this… even though ministry does not look like ministry to me, who am I to decide? I mean, doesn’t God have a say in all of this? Isn’t God the one who called me on the World Race in the first place?
You see, maybe the Lord is trying to shatter my expectations so that He can show me that He is in control. That He is bigger than some box I try to fit Him in. That He has a purpose for all things, even though I have trouble seeing it. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.” IT’S ALL ABOUT DEPENDANCY and letting go of self.
I don’t believe God is at all surprised that Team Tabula Rasa is in Lavender Hill or that an event was cancelled for the day. If we are aligned with his will, he will direct us.
So, I have learned to be encouraged, not discouraged when things don’t go the way that I think they will, because God’s idea of success is not limited to what is seen. “So we fix our eyes not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary. But the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18.
I’m buying in to what God is doing here, because I believe in his promises and provision. My perspective is anew. I love the people of Lavender Hill, and I won’t let the Enemy get in the way of reaching them.
A few things we’ve done:
– Cleaned up and rebuilt a park in a local shanty village.
– Led an entire church service Sunday morning (I led the 30 minute prayer intercession and pitched in w/ some worship music).
– Led an open-air service at the same park we cleaned up.
– Playing with kids on the block.
– Explored Cape Point and Robben Island on our two off days.
– Joined a “youth night” in another town where we discussed issues and teenagers shared their struggles and testimonies.
– Taught softball to girls.
