Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Unexpected Ministry

We have been here in Guatemala for a few months now and we are working hard to learn the language.
In my mind, ministry would not really start until we learn the language enough to communicate in Spanish. But, in school, we started making friends. We found out that many people are not here in Antigua permanently like we are but are here to learn the language before moving to their permanent destination.

Since we are in our permanent destination we are one step ahead of those in transition.
Our wii, skateboard and american girl dolls are already here, we have lots of space in our home, we have everything we need in the kitchen to whip up a good meal, and we have internet.

As we started meeting people, we realized that this was not the case with other people. Many are in transition homes or live with a Guatemalan family. Some don't have space, others don't have internet, and others don't have friends nearby.

That is when God showed me that opening my home to other language students, cooking for people, letting people wash their clothes here, use our internet and come for dinner was a ministry.

I know that God has us here to impact the people of Guatemala and to change our lives as well, but now I know that he also planned for us to have a ministry that lets us speak english, eat foods from the states, play with our wii and bless people at the same time.

One family said their daughter had not had a friend to play with in four months.

One couple said if it had not been for us they probably would have already gone back home.

One couple asked us to host a birthday party because they did not have enough room.

God is amazing that while he is molding us, changing us and teaching us how to reach out to a country that is totally foreign to us, he is using what we do  know to minister to others now.

What unexpected ministry is God using you to do?

2 comments:

SarahRachel said...

You and Todd always made me feel so welcome in your home back when I was in high school and I have no doubt these people feel SO loved in your home! I definitely think God has given you the gift of hospitality (especially during this season in your life). Keep blogging, girl. I LOVE reading it!

Elizabeth Butler said...

Awesome - keep up the great work you are doing! It is amazing how God can use situations we never even expect!