Goodness, it's so good to get to blog again. Since I got back in January I've been doing nothing less than running around preparing for everything. With the new year has come new responsibilities that I had no expectation for. There's a funny word. Expectation. When you're living an working in a foreign country, no matter what you're doing, you really shouldn't have those pesky little ideas called expectations. You'll be disappointed, or surprised, or panicked when something doesn't go according to plan.
I consider myself a pretty flexible person. Even when I'm stressed, it will affect me (hello, sleepless nights!) but probably not my performance on a task.
In the past month I have gone from "helper"- one out of 3 teaching English at Boa Viagem to now being in charge of teaching all 3 different groups of people.
I've gone from "hey, wanna teach a little English prep conversation course before the Let's Start Talking team comes" to now being in charge of teaching a 15 week English course 2 times a day once a week.
I've gone from a partner in the teenage girl's ministry to quite possibly doing it myself, as the other person is needing to step back in the midst of some family issues. We're going to be asking one of the other ladies in the congregation to help, but it's up in the air.
I've gone from the desire to disciple the newly converted with personal Bible studies to beginning to teach a discipleship class at the new congregation in Porta Larga.
My "job description" changes about every other day, but I wouldn't have that any other way as long as I'm a part of the body of Christ here in the congregation of Boa Viagem. My "job description" I will only expect to contain one word: serve. When we're a part of the family of God in a congregation, we must understand that we're joining our lives with other humans. People as individuals are constantly changing, so it makes sense that the needs of a group also change. My philosophy for as long as I'm in Recife is simple: "see a need, fill a need". Of course, if I have absolutely no talent for something it wouldn't be helpful for me to fill a need there (aka teaching in the children's ministry). But I'm watching God use me in other ways I wouldn't have ever imagined. Yes, it's been stressful, but it's also been the best 5 months of my life, pushing my limits, denying myself a place in my comfort zone, and above all loving people with all that I am and all that I do. I'm far, far from perfect, but like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us....Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 'I believed, and so I spoke,' we also believe, and so we also speak..." 4:7, 13
It's my job and my pleasure, my honor, to speak. It's yours, too. May God push your limits and challenge your view of the world every single day, and may you walk in te Way, sharing the Good News of great joy that is for all of the people, to His glory and honor.
It was my privilege Saturday, February 21, 2015 to teach about unity and why doing life together as the church is so important as a part of our year's theme, "Disciples United for the Making of Disciples".
PS... I did it in Portuguese. For the first time in my life, I spoke to a group (it's always been individuals before this) in a language not my own. I'm in awe of God's ability to use this tongue of mine that's failed Him so much for His glory. Praise to Him through Whom all blessings flow.
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