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It would be hard to accuse me of aiming too low when it comes to our goals for ministry. With a team of just 10 and a diversity that spans the age ranges 10 years old to 80, we set out to paint 7 classrooms at Windermere High School and replace 2 of the classroom roofs. And that would comprise just the morning. After lunch we’d drive around the settlement to pick up as much children as possible to host a week long Vacation Bible School for all ages, where would engage with the kids for crafts, games, and sharing the message of the gospel.
By the end of the 1st day it was clear… I bit off more than I could chew! Nevertheless, it is this sort of ambition that stretches you out of your comfort zone and places you in a position of dependence upon God to provide the multiplication of time and ability. And this can be humbling for everyone. Learning how to pace yourself and follow by faith where it seems an impossible task is part of God’s design to reveal His might and glory through our weaknesses.
The construction project could not have been completed without the amazing help from the EBTC interns and Bill Landers. We also employed the expertise from one of our local contractors Wade Weinburger. With all of our powers combined, the project began to march forward that little by little each component of the construction, from demolition to trim, we were making good headway. The one wildcard component would be the weather. If we even so much as lost 1 day due to rain, there would be no way we could finish. By God’s providence, as soon as we removed the final scaffolding as the project was complete… it started to rain – for the 1st time that week!
VBS was a similar story, as each team member dug in deep to find their unique contribution in engaging all the children with each aspect of the afternoon’s plans. Some focused on the games, others on holding and loving on the littlest ones, everyone pitched in to help focus the kids attention when it came time for the lessons. Our past missionary co-worker, Dona Banks, joined us for the whole week, and she was instrumental in helping bridge many of the relationships between our team and the children.
Emily did an amazing job orchestrating each day’s plans and handing out assignments. By the end of the week the kids could recite all of the verses for the plan of salvation, and they each had many little crafts in their hands that symbolized God’s spreading of the light of the gospel.
When I look back to what was accomplished this week, it’s probably true that any other mission team could easily achieve and even exceed what we did. But the impact in our own lives will last forever. A great big thank you to the EBTC interns and to Wade, Dona, and Bill for their help.