The purpose of going on this trip was for me to serve. Whether it was to serve the people in India or God, I was going to do it. When you think of the word serve, what comes to your mind. Do you picture yourself serving meals, people, countries, or God? I think I over analyze the word service too much. In my mind the word serving is doing something helpful to someone else, but the way I want to do it. And this is where it begins……. selfishness.
Let's go back to that first work day at the orphanage. I woke up ready to go and serve under any circumstance; well at least that's what I thought. I got there and the lady that has so kindly opened her home to us, Teresa, tells us the low-down on what we will be doing. As I'm listening my mind is focused on the ideas of how I want to serve and then she said it… CLEAN. I immediately paused, and took a second to think if I heard her right. Did she say cleaning? I look back now and I remember the exact words I said to myself : "I didn't come on this mission trip to clean, I came to serve! I can barely keep on the task to clean my own room and bathroom!" I was getting to the point where I was mad. Why was I mad? I was mad because I didn't get to choose the way we were going to serve. How selfish can I be? God fixed that really quick. I'm not going to lie, I had to be in prayer about this for a couple of days. I just didn't understand how cleaning would be a way to serve the children at the home or God.
Who are we to decide what and how we serve. The whole point of serving is to get out of your comfort zone and go out on a leap of faith. Through this whole learning process God has taught me a lot on when I serve. I need to be willing and flexible no matter what. I now see that the children at the orphanage need to feel loved, and cleaning is one way of showing that to them. These kids not only need to be loved on physically, but also shown love through acts of serving. It's very rewarding to know at the end of the day I accomplished something for them. God has really shown me how to serve with an open heart. We may not always have the best conditions to serve in and we need to be ready! This is just some insight on what God has been doing in my life! 🙂
" You call me `Teacher and `Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you. " -John 13:13-15
