El Salavador…take 2…Final thoughts

 All of the things that I have done and seen this past week...along with personal conversations with brothers and sisters in Christ, places I was in Scripture and the books I read while I was traveling...were all fashioned together to grow my faith and deepen my understanding of God's economy, God's plan, and to strengthen my relationship with Him...I wanted to share a few last things...in no particular order...and to no particular audience...they are just things that I don't want to forget...and the best way for me to do that, is to write them down. I also want to use this as an encouragement to others.

 I. AM. NOT. SPECIAL. I have no special superpowers or talents that other people don't have...I have no special merit with God, other than that I am His daughter...and He loves me like He loves His other children. Why He has chosen to allow me to get to participate in a ministry like this is beyond my comprehension...but above all.. I know that it is a gift...and I chose to accept that gift by going and working in my strengths. Each person that lays eyes on my rambling has also been created wonderfully and perfectly by the same Hands that created me....and you have strengths and weaknesses just like me. Those that have believed in Christ Jesus and accepted His Lordship over their lives...have also been given a gift--a spiritual gift---one or more of them actually…and they are given so that they might be used by each of us to glorify God and perform the many works that He has chosen for each of us to complete in the one lifetime that we get here.  

Here are some things that really struck me from the week!!

**There is power in kindness..in a look, in a touch, in your words. There are many people who don't see kindness very often in their world of circumstances. It was a news flash to me this week...that I could look like the face of Jesus to those around me...Like, I knew this...but in my heart I didn't KNOW this on a deeply meaningful level…I have seen people that have a countenance so sweet that you just KNOW they love and serve the Lord…but I had never contemplated that people might see that in ME!!  After working with the women in prison and having all this explained to me by a chaplain who was more tuned into the situation than I was...was life changing for me. Such a simple thing that can be so meaningful and life giving….and you don't have to go across the globe...you just have to be present in the moment.

You have to SEE them...though sometimes we have to take a step outside of our norm in order to reign in the attention needed TO see them!! Ask God to help you to see with His eyes!!You can give a tender pat on the arm, you can look into their face, or you can simply listen and say "I'm sorry. I don't understand why that happened to you. But God does. And He sees you and loves you." You can truly SEE your family, your neighbor, the widow at church, the struggling young mom trying to keep it together, or the people you can't stand that live across your town  that are barely making it...when we follow Christ, we need to choose to SEE more of what He sees. That is how we live our lives on mission. I'm not that good at it. But I want to be...and I ask Him to give me HIS eyes to see where He wants me to speak, work, and do in the lives of others. 

**He gives us the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him Psalm 37:4 tells us. A desire of my heart has always been to care for others...clear back to high school on the steps in the band room...the desire of my heart was to help others. It's how He made ME. I knew 25 years ago that I wanted to do medical mission work one day...over the years, He has given me opportunities to take kids on mission trips...He has grown me through those adventures, until finally, He orchestrated one...and then another...chance for me to go serve on a whole different, international level. The trips have been gifts. Good gifts...Hard gifts...but gifts from the Lord in His perfect timing! Never be afraid to dream and ask!! What is something for the Lord that YOU would like to do?? Chances are, He has already put that desire in your heart and He is waiting until the time is right!!

**Humans are all the same. We were all created in the perfect image of God...and in an imperfect world..there are plenty of opportunities for sin and mistakes and bad choices. Sometimes people seem to deserve the consequences of their sins...like the women in prison...and sometimes the people don't seem to deserve the consequences of sin in the world...like a 4 year old girl who was born into a hopeless cycle of poverty...or the 20 year old girl who found out her grandpa was her father--and has been living with the shame of a choice that was made completely out of her own control. But, in Christ--we have a redeemer--one who saves us from ourselves and from the power of hell...and He chooses to send His own children to demonstrate that redeeming power in a tangible way to the poor and powerless among the neighborhoods and nations..When we remember that we do NOT deserve the grace we got from Christ in His death/resurrection...it gives us a freedom to bestow love on those that we may not deem worthy of receiving grace from US!!

**It takes a team!! Jesus sent the disciples out in at least groups of 2…and Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that two are better than one…for if one falls, the other might help him up again! 

It took all of us, each in our own gifts to get the job done!! This team worked together for a week, but other team members serve this population day in and day out and they feel seen when others show up to help bear the heavy load! There is something so special about sharing a load…and the trauma and drama and laughter and memories that come with working together!! It is just a reminder of how God put together His church…each member as a part of a body that has their own functions and strengths to do the work God has laid out for them individually and collectively!!

**The results aren’t up to you…or me. Walking on sandy beaches, like the iron swirled beach of Costa Del Sol above,  always makes me think of Gods promise to Abraham that said his offspring would be like the stars of the sky or the sands of the earth..that’s unfathomable really!! Abraham did nothing except trust God…even to the point of being willing to sacrifice his son! God did the deed!! He followed thru on the promise, all Abe did was to show up!! We have to be like Abe. There were a lot of reasons that I couldn’t have been available to go last week…but I believed I was being called for something much bigger than myself!! Has God been asking you to go out of your comfort zone and do something new?? Are you listening or arguing?? The hopelessness of the situations of many of these people was overwhelming me…until Little Larry told me that my perspective was wrong. And it was. There was a life giving freedom found in that revelation!! The revelation that my only job…like your only job…is to show up. Work in your gift…give what you can…and trust God for the results!! My focus was on how many physical needs I couldn’t meet…but the spiritual work being done while I tried to meet the physical needs the best I could…is the part I can’t see!! And the part I needed to trust God to work in!

**It's not about me...and it’s not about you...it’s about the God of the universe. We are His majestic workmanship every bit as much as this ocean sunset...He gave us gifts to use for His glory! THAT is His will for our lives!! In our culture, our lives are all about us..and our people. Many of us aren’t that good at looking around and seeing needs…but again, that’s where team work functions best!! In this case, I signed up for a trip and booked a flight. I identified needs that our team would have before I left and people delivered in their own ways…prayer, financially, sending supplies…and as I was able to show people the situation of the places we served in El Salvador, God has continued to press upon people a need to help as they can!! God is making the difference here and in His grace, He has allowed us to be part of it!!  It’s soooo cool!!

**Look around you...there are mission opportunities everywhere. You don't have to fly to another country or even another state. I doubt that Juanito even realized that he was doing ministry just by showing up early and seeing a need to rake up trash!

Maybe your gift is prayer…it isn’t out of line to call people in the church…or people out of the church to ask how you can pray for them..or pray with them…or start a prayer group. Maybe your gift is hospitality…engaging your gift right here in your community is a perfect place to start!

Maybe you are a cheerful giver…ask God to show you where to start!! And maybe you are an observer…find a team of people that can help you work to meet the needs you observe around you!! If this is overwhelming or challenging to you…I urge you to reach out to someone who can help you think outside the box!!

I’m thankful for the gift of this trip and the opportunities it provided both for me, and for those I spent my week with!! I’m thankful for the hearts of those who see the needs and launch the help to meet the needs. I’m thankful for the stirring of my heart and the stirring of the hearts that have been following this story!! God willing, there will be a next time in the fairly near future!!

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭34‬-‭40‬ ‭NLT‬‬