I arose
one tropical morning with a heart full of joy and muscles ready for the daily
grind. As I gathered my wits about me I
struck out for the door. Not knowing what was to await me that day I strolled
up the path with such light foot I could have floated to the car. Meeting up
with the others we jumped in and headed out. After riding the bucking bronco to
the main passage, down the mountain we went. Singing, laughing and curious we
all chattered as we traveled. Showing up
to some unknown place, surrounded by foreign people, and clueless- we began to
work. We began a work that would change lives. It was a work that would mold
perceptions and initiate study.
With a bus showing up of eager participants we began to fret. Here we are the “leaders” of some project we have no clue about. That soon would be a norm. A stack of wood and an open space awaited us. The space belonged to some unknown person but with tears, love and smiles we were greeted. These foreign people spoke a language I didn’t. I had only studied it for some time. I think to myself “Maybe this is why I took that class twice in high school”. Being able to muddle my way for a coke or directions and understanding a good bit of what was said to me I faired quite well for the first few minutes. Then a man, my age, grabbed me as 20 American people were filing of that yellow bus. He said “You’re with me”. With a perplexed look I said “ Wait, what? Why?” He very seriously looked at me in my eyes and calmly said “You’re the only one that can translate for me.” “Are you kidding??” I thought ‘out of all these people?’ Needless to say there was no jovial tone in his voice. We began to grab wood and I began to translate like a two year old in their language.
After hours of work, meeting some awesome characters, and a bump on my head from falling wood we had completed the house. We all gathered together in that house with the family. We had made with 20 people, nails and a stack of wood, a home 14 feet by 14 feet for a small family that had nothing. As tears rolled down their eyes, from pure happiness about the blessing that had received, we prayed. This place became home. I wasn’t a foreigner and neither were they. We were all not of this place, seeking a way home. Here I was with a message, the knowledge of how to get back. I had come to deliver that. No matter where I would go, that’s what I would do. I was happier at that moment than I had ever been. I would come to learn that service is what I have always craved. The one thing in life I couldn’t get enough of and always tried to experience. I had nothing that day and did everything set before me because God was enough.
All God’s children crave it, just like we crave Him. Fear is what keeps us from it, just like fear is was keeps us from Him. I had wondered for a while in search of this. I would wonder for a while telling God His plan for me, was not for me for I was not good enough.
To this day that is what drives me. There is nothing like seeing the light bulb come on. Seeing someone respond to the gospel, it cannot be compared to anything in this world. I decided without a doubt that if it took me a lifetime I would not rest until everyone saw the light (1 Tim. 2:3-4). I have been many places in my life. Traveled to foreign countries been in not so fun situations and in situations I never wanted to end. Every time I found myself in a place not having a clue. I just had my bible and my body to go with me. Both of which God gave me. Every place I went I met people I could never forget. No matter what or where I go, I learn.
One of the biggest things I have learned is you don’t need anything by what God gave you. He will take you places, if you are willing, show you things, teach you things and all of it will be while you’re doing His work. We don’t need anything fancy or money. We don’t need a huge ego or degree. That summer, 75 houses later, I had nothing to show the secular world what I had gained from that time. I had a recommendation of the people by the work I did for the Lord.
There are no excuses. What was done that day can be done everywhere. We bind ourselves by the worries of this world (Matt. 6:25-34). There have been many places I have arrived at without a dime to my name and left with just as much. Yet the maturity in Christ and the work that I did I gained more than a dollar could ever buy. We say these things like money, work, and materials are what keep us from the work. Simply, they are a really good excuse to cover up fear. We need to say “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)
With a bus showing up of eager participants we began to fret. Here we are the “leaders” of some project we have no clue about. That soon would be a norm. A stack of wood and an open space awaited us. The space belonged to some unknown person but with tears, love and smiles we were greeted. These foreign people spoke a language I didn’t. I had only studied it for some time. I think to myself “Maybe this is why I took that class twice in high school”. Being able to muddle my way for a coke or directions and understanding a good bit of what was said to me I faired quite well for the first few minutes. Then a man, my age, grabbed me as 20 American people were filing of that yellow bus. He said “You’re with me”. With a perplexed look I said “ Wait, what? Why?” He very seriously looked at me in my eyes and calmly said “You’re the only one that can translate for me.” “Are you kidding??” I thought ‘out of all these people?’ Needless to say there was no jovial tone in his voice. We began to grab wood and I began to translate like a two year old in their language.
After hours of work, meeting some awesome characters, and a bump on my head from falling wood we had completed the house. We all gathered together in that house with the family. We had made with 20 people, nails and a stack of wood, a home 14 feet by 14 feet for a small family that had nothing. As tears rolled down their eyes, from pure happiness about the blessing that had received, we prayed. This place became home. I wasn’t a foreigner and neither were they. We were all not of this place, seeking a way home. Here I was with a message, the knowledge of how to get back. I had come to deliver that. No matter where I would go, that’s what I would do. I was happier at that moment than I had ever been. I would come to learn that service is what I have always craved. The one thing in life I couldn’t get enough of and always tried to experience. I had nothing that day and did everything set before me because God was enough.
All God’s children crave it, just like we crave Him. Fear is what keeps us from it, just like fear is was keeps us from Him. I had wondered for a while in search of this. I would wonder for a while telling God His plan for me, was not for me for I was not good enough.
To this day that is what drives me. There is nothing like seeing the light bulb come on. Seeing someone respond to the gospel, it cannot be compared to anything in this world. I decided without a doubt that if it took me a lifetime I would not rest until everyone saw the light (1 Tim. 2:3-4). I have been many places in my life. Traveled to foreign countries been in not so fun situations and in situations I never wanted to end. Every time I found myself in a place not having a clue. I just had my bible and my body to go with me. Both of which God gave me. Every place I went I met people I could never forget. No matter what or where I go, I learn.
One of the biggest things I have learned is you don’t need anything by what God gave you. He will take you places, if you are willing, show you things, teach you things and all of it will be while you’re doing His work. We don’t need anything fancy or money. We don’t need a huge ego or degree. That summer, 75 houses later, I had nothing to show the secular world what I had gained from that time. I had a recommendation of the people by the work I did for the Lord.
There are no excuses. What was done that day can be done everywhere. We bind ourselves by the worries of this world (Matt. 6:25-34). There have been many places I have arrived at without a dime to my name and left with just as much. Yet the maturity in Christ and the work that I did I gained more than a dollar could ever buy. We say these things like money, work, and materials are what keep us from the work. Simply, they are a really good excuse to cover up fear. We need to say “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)
Sorry for Scripture not showing working on that now.
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