My team's first week of ministry has been, well, interesting. Welcome to the life of a missionary. They weren't kidding at training camp and launch when they said that flexibility and patience is key! Not only have I begun to learn the meaning of these two words, but also the meaning of humility and trust! This week for my team of 5 other gals consisted of meeting with ministries and getting our scheduled changed. I was quickly put in my place with the Lord. I came into this trip thinking that I was going to get to stay with the same kids or group of people in each nation for the entire 3 months. So far that is not so, and I have now learned to let go of even those expectation that I didn't know I had. There are two contacts that we are staying at for our time here. So my team and 3 others are here for 3 more weeks then we will switch with the rest of our squad to live about 2 hours away up in the mountains and doing different ministries. This was difficult to swallow at first. I went up to sit on top of this building on our property to get away because I was upset with how our schedule was changing which pushes back our time in ministry here before we switched. I sat up there in silence for a little while and the Lord kept saying "Laura Beth…just trust ME. I know what I am doing. It does not matter where you are, what you are doing or how long you are there because I am in you and go with you everywhere. Just walk with me through the different ministries and places and seemingly inconveniences. Just trust me." He then brought me to a passage in scripture that He randomly brought me to on the second or third day here and that is 2 Corinthians chapters 2 through 5. He's been unpacking these chapters to me every day and I can't seem to get out of these three little chapters. Anyway, He brought me to chapter 2:12-17. In this lil section Paul's route got changed. He was going to Troas but due to some things with his pal Titus, He went on to Macedonia.
And Paul said this "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere."
Wherever I am, for however long, whether just walking, sitting, speaking aloud or actually hands on doing something…it does not matter. Christ leads me in triumphal procession spreading the fragrance of Jesus just by simply BEING!! The presence of Jesus lives inside of me, therefore, it does not matter where, what, how, when, who or why….because just BEING is ENOUGH because Jesus IN me is ENOUGH!!! Of course, I speak when He says speak and do when he says do. But until then…I simply walk with the Father and be Laura Beth Harbin. Everything flows out of the love relationship I have with the Father. How humbling that it is not about me and what I can do and how I expect things to go. Jesus is continuing to teach me that even when it seems like I am not doing anything because I feel like I haven't DONE anything or SAID anything that this is EXACTLY where He wants me to be. He wants me to be in a place where it's not about what I can say or do but solely about Him IN me doing everything and sometimes that doesn't require me to do or say anything except just be there. Now, that is humbling and takes a lot of trust. It's also not normal by any means. We grow up hearing "DO, DO, DO, DO and SAY, SAY, SAY, SAY." There's nothing wrong with that at all. Jesus does a whole lot through our words and actions. But those are simply byproducts of JESUS INSIDE OF YOU. You see, Jesus already does something, changes the atmosphere, when I enter into a place simply because He lives INSIDE of me. Please don't think I am not going to do or say anything haha. I am just revealing a new place that the Lord has brought me to…a place of simply BEING. A new and deeper place of trusting the Father.
haha and this is what the first week of ministry in Honduras has taught me! God is so good! I am so overwhelmed by his goodness and love for me every single day. Wow, He is so good! Praise ABBA!!
P.S
For those who would like to know The Beloved Daughters(my team of 5 other gals) ministries…
Monday is our off day which gives a time to do things like go to internet cafe, go to the market, eat american food, and various activities around Honduras as a team.
Tuesday through Thursday we go to a school right next door and teach english and a computer program that helps with english. In the afternoons for these three days we do various ministries. Tuesday afternoon we go to the alcohol and drug rehab center to just hang out and build relationships with the women. Wednesday afternoons we go to a senior citizen home and hang with the old folks. Thursday afternoons we go to the hospital to pray for people.
Friday morning we have what is called ATL which means Ask The Lord. We simply wake up and ask the lord what he wants for us today. We ask for pictures or words or whatever he wants to show us and then we just go off of that and do whatever the lord asks for that morning. In the afternoon we go play soccer in a nearby village. Saturday's all 4 teams have what's called "takin it to the streets" where we have our boom box out and just greet people walking on the street outside of our house. Then my team on saturday afternoon goes to play soccer again! Sunday is church and chill day. So there you go…remember it is very likely to change everyday because it RAINS A LOT here and well ministry in places like this change frequently. Gotta love Flexibility, Patience, Humility and Trust!
Have a great day!!
