When it comes to ministry this month I would not hesitate to say that I have been pushed to a whole new level. A level that has promoted a lot of growth, but has also caused me to fight off a lot of attacks. My ministry area this month has been manual labor on the farm. This work has entailed many hard tasks that often wanted to leave me with a sour attitude and asking a lot of questions, but I have been able to fight through it with the Lord’s help. The first day we were here we had to pick all the pumpkins on the farm and gather up all the vines. We also had to pick all the tomatoes and peppers and destroy the bushes. After this we started helping one of the men in the church add on to his house. We laid block and also helped with the roof.
The next couple of days we had to start digging up stumps. That’s right I said dig, with a shovel. We are talking about pretty good sized stumps which were situated on a steep hill. Digging all around them and exposing the roots then axing them and pulling them up. I have also had the opportunity to round up the farm animals and feed them. After a few days we were able to get up most of the stumps.
Next we were given the task of tilling up the land. Up until this point I was really pumped to be doing manual labor. I mean I was born and raised in South Ga. I grew up in the country and learned how to farm, do construction, and many other great things at an early age. The tilling I have been accustomed to is with A) A tiller you push or B) harrowing up the land by way of tractor. This task however took tilling to a whole new level for me, tilling with a shovel! You bet your bottom dollar that I looked at this man like he was nuts! He wanted us to dig our shovels in the dirt and the turn over the soil, repeating this until we finished this whole big plot of land. This job put me to the test, but I realized many things through this. 1) Most of the world doesn’t even have the means to even think of a hand tiller or tractor. 2) God is my strength and he just wanted to see if I was really ready to serve as he has called me. 3) Satan wanted me to have a bad attitude. Even if I did what I was told, but had a nasty attitude what kind of service is that? I realized what I was here for and what I had to do so I gladly performed the service.
There was another day that was equally as trying. Coming off of about a 3 day bacteria stint, I learned we had to start building a new chicken coupe because the one they had was too big and the chickens could not stay warm so they started dying. Building didn’t sound like a big deal, but the blocks we had to build with were each about 30-40 lbs and 200 yards away. Great! So first we had to gather all the blocks. I remind you I was drained and had no energy from the previous 3-4 days. This easily could be one of the hardest and most tiring days yet, but it was so good. I didn’t let satan get me or my attitude and I served.
On Saturday I got asked to go to the forest to work. I accepted and sort of knew what I was getting into, but not fully until I got there. The scenario is this: Someone came in and cut down hundreds of trees of all sizes. Earlier in the week a couple of our guys went up and drug most of the trees into piles. So now it is Saturday and we go back. Octav (one of the church leaders) sends us off with a plan, 4 loaves of bread, a frozen chicken, and a frozen piece of pork. The 6 of us catch a ride in the back of a van full of walnuts and head to our destination. About 20 mins later we get dropped off approximately a mile and a half from where we need to be and have to walk the rest of the way. We finally get to where we need to be and 3 of us start dragging the rest of the trees into piles. The other 3 start taking them out of the piles, chop off all the branches, and pile them up to be taken home. I will say it was a hectic dragging trees through the woods while tripping on stumps that were left behind and busting my knee. So we do this for about an hour and a half and decide its time for lunch. What we failed to realize is that we have no means of making a fire and no pan to cook in because the guy who dropped us off failed to come back. So we just sat around and ate bread and drank water. After lunch we all took the job of pulling trees out of the piles and chopping them up. The thing is that not once did I even think about getting a bad attitude. The reason we were here is so that the orphans could have firewood for the winter. At 5 pm we decide to take the walk back to the gate to get picked up, but we actually walk an additional couple miles back to the main highway because our ride is late. If I have learned one thing so far in the race it is that only in my previous life was everyone punctual and everything basically went as planned. In this new life I have been given I can’t have any expectations. Almost nothing goes as planned and everyone is late, but that’s good because I don’t have to be stuck in a routine.
It is pointless to say that this month’s ministry has been so much different than last month’s. God is pushing me hard to see if I am willing to serve. He is seeing just how many ways I am willing to serve him and how far I am willing to go with him while keeping a God honoring attitude. The answer is ALL THE WAY! I didn’t come on this trip to be comfortable or be catered to. I am being taught to keep a positive attitude and to take all the curveballs God throws me. This year is all about trusting him and these first two months have been spot on for that.
I posted a blog about how my days have been going. There is hardly any free time. I have loved serving these people; however, satan wants to keep me so busy that I lose focus of my time with the Lord. Time with the Lord this month is something that we all have to fight for and make time for. Time with him is the most important thing. Without him we are nothing and we have to keep growing in him. He loves our service, but he desires our time with him more. God is doing great things with me and it’s a struggle every day, but its worth every second.
PS: Thanks to all my supporters! Whether you are providing monetary support or prayers I appreciate it very much! I am well on my way to being fully funded, but keep it coming!
