A Thriving Community

9.23.13 – Day 2 “A Thriving Community”

“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

The kingdom of God isn’t built by strong and perfect people, but it’s built by a community of people who knit themselves together in order to overcome their weaknesses.

Today’s alone time was about how we would define a freeloader, and to think about how it would be dangerous to the work of a church?

-       I think a freeloader is a lot like a hitchhiker, in some sense. Always having their hands out for something (for themselves) and never giving something of them self to help (their gifts from God). It’s dangerous for a church to give and give and give and never receive anything in return. If they give everything they have to a “freeloader” their storehouse will never be replenished, so when someone needs something and is willing to give of them self that will assist the church in a way they need… they can’t.

Confession/ release: I feel like I have been this type of person. With everything that I’ve been through in my life and even endured, I’ve become a freeloader at times. By this I mean sucking happiness from my church family and friends, when everything in my life was in shambles at home.

During our 30-minute small group time this morning I told the women about this time. And their response was: love. They pointed out the difference between forgiveness and surrender. Forgiveness releases the person who’s wronged you, but still holds the forgiver captive.  Where surrender sets the forgiver free. They spoke into me that they can see all of my gifts that I have, but they could also see those areas where I’m still holding back. They advised me to seek out a Christian counselor so I can truly know what surrender is in my life and so I’m able to walk in all that God has for me.

Our 1^st full LONG day!! WOWZERS!!! For the 1^st ½ of our day at E.D.S. the women and I pulled vines off the chain-linked fence. I drank LOTS of water, but never had to us the restroom!! It was GREAT!! As well, I don’t think I’ve ever sweated so much in my life!!! It was pretty gross… sweat was dripping down my face, into my eyes, my mouth, my ears (this felt like bugs flying into my ears – NASTY). Not the best feeling in the world.

After lunch I helped Adam, Matt, and Rachel mix up the cement. 2 ½ wheel barrels of rock sediment, 4 wheel barrels of sand. Mixed together in a huge pile, shoveled into a mountain, then “made mash potatoes” by pulling apart the mountain starting at the center and “mashing” it down so that there was like this mini canyon in the center (we did this like 2 or three times) while circling the pile. Next Adam added the cement dust and we did the same thing again with the mountain and “mash potatoes.” I kept up pretty good and was having fun… next Adam added the water… Not so much fun my arms literally gave out on me. 

The kids wanted to help us SOOOO badly!! They did, but when Adam added the water they weren't allowed to any longer.

So Rachel asked me to grab her camera to get some pictures for her of what we were doing. At about the same time Logan and Warren came over to join in on the fun. Warren was done push mowing, and Logan’s weed eater over heated for the last time that day, as well as a few kids that were finished with their lunch. But because Adam had already added the water to the mix, now was the time when the kids weren’t able to help as much. 

So I got the face paints that I had brought with me out, in hopes to distract them so they could get that part of the day completed. IT WORKED!! I got a few great pictures of painting their faces and hands. A few moments’ later (when the cement mix was laid out where it was going) Warren and Jeanne got the airplanes they brought for the kids out. It too was a hit with the kids!! They were getting them stuck in trees on the roof of the buildings there on campus, but laughing and having a good ‘ol time with them.

By 4 PM we had to leave so we could get back to the team home, get cleaned up (aka Showered) and eat to leave by 5-5:15 to go to the convention cent to hear Nick Vujicic speak about a “Life without limits.” This man was born with no arms, no legs, only a partial foot with two toes. He is a very inspirational man!! Just not very punctual. We get there with the kids both from E.D.S. and Rancho de los Niños and had to sit for at the least 2 hours – then 2 hours more for his talk…. LONG NIGHT!!!

To bide out time I asked Alberto (sitting next to me to play thumb war. He looked at me and had no idea of what I was talking about.  So I showed him. After that, it's all he wanted to play!!! Ha Ha Ha!!! It was fun!!!!

Then we all got silly

After the event we had to say our “good-byes” to the E.D.S. kids. It would be our last time seeing them for the rest of the week. Nazmine, Ruby, Alberto (a kid pretty good at thumb war once he learned how to play it), Roberto (Nazmine’s little brother) and many, many, many more friends!!! It was sad to say good-bye, so we said Hasta Luego!!!