Hey friends!! As a part of being a world racer we are asked to blog at least once a week while on the field! So blogging will look a lot more consistent these next three months and hopefully will continue when I get home!
I’m here to share a bit about what ministry has looked like since we arrived in Ecuador a week ago and how the Lord has worked in me alongside that!
We arrived in Quito last Tuesday at 3:30 am. We spent our first day resting and hearing about what ministry would look like for the next few weeks. Our host Fabi began to explain all about what it would look like in a covid world. He said the first few weeks we would be doing lots of manual labor around the base or ministry sites. We wouldn’t get to meet many locals or spend time with any of the people in the ministries. It would be a lot of time at the base with just the hosts and our team. At first this really upset me because I was really looking forward to growing intentional relationships with the people here. I knew it was okay for me to feel a bit disappointed but I also was searching for God’s movement in this.
Over this past week the Lord has taught me so much through this!! He is teaching me to live without expectation. The Lord wants us to live without expectation of life or Him. Life will never mold to our expectations and He will always exceed them in ways we may not understand right away. Our plans might change but His never do.
The Lord has shown me that during this time my ministry is our hosts and my team. Yes, we are all here together to serve but we all have come to realize that we are here to minister to one another as well. Serving our hosts looks like doing the jobs they don’t have time to get too. This allows them to pour into the ministries of the surrounding area more fully and intentionally. Serving my team looks like loving them well so that they can also serve and love well.
Yes, I was so excited to meet locals, to see the city, and to try the foods. But that is not why I am here, that is not why I fundraised almost 7,000 dollars to be here. I am here to serve in the places I am asked to. I am here to make the load lighter. I am here to love the people around me. I am here to put myself down in order to glorify the Lord.
Through all of this the Lord has brought so much peace and blessing. I have experienced the life of walking slowly. I have been able to see what it looks like to be fully present in every moment because I have no other choice but to just BE. No wifi or service, no city streets, no go go go. I get to sit on grassy hills and worship with teammates on a breezy afternoon. I get to sit in a garden and weed for 5 hours and actually find so much fulfillment through it. I get to help Mabe in the kitchen and learn how to live life with no waste. I get to learn new volleyball games with my freaking cool teammates. This week has been full of newness and growth but also so full of life and intimacy. So much genuine peace and joy has filled my heart each day. The Lord is going to do so much here in Ecuador.
That is so good!!! I love how u mentioned that God doesn’t change – we need to change. God is in the middle of this and surrendering to His plan is clearly bringing u so much peace and happiness. Awesome 1st week!!
That’s awesome, Julie, sounds like God’s teaching you a lot! Amen, ministry is serving those God puts in our lives with gladness. I’m glad you’re going with God’s flow!