Lessons from an island

This year's mission trip was catalysed, a little ironically, by my family's hunt for a nice house for ourselves earlier in the year.  We had come across a beautiful place, and I really liked it.  But when I was seeking God's counsel in prayer, I suddenly noticed that the house was set up like the Biblical tabernacle.  There was the living area, which led to a dining area, within which there was a slightly raised and spotlit dais, encased in glass, for the dining table, making it the centerpiece of the entire living area.  So - the equivalent of the courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies of the Old Testament tabernacle, where God's presence was enthroned.

God asked me a very direct question - when you are sitting in this beautiful home, eating at this table, who is God of this home?  Who is enthroned?  You?  Or me?  And I remembered that in Haggai 1:3, when the people tell themselves, oh, we know it's good to rebuild God's house - but... not just yet.  God challenges the people, "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"  

So the message was very clear - shelve plans for our own house, prioritize God's house!  A week later, we had our first meeting with our leaders and our church friends to plan a trip to bless the villages, school and orphanage on a nearby island.

And now, a few months later, the trip is done - how time flies!  So what are our takeaways ?

1. A culture of serving

In our post-trip debrief, many of us expressed a sense of thankfulness for each other.  We were thankful for our leaders who worked with us to organise the trip, gave us contacts and tips, without which we'd have no idea where to start and who to meet.  We were thankful for our peers, who so quickly and encouragingly committed to making time and effort to band together for the trip, and to commit funds for the work both now and going forward.

I think this is about building culture - we are blessed to have a highly teachable group of members, the large majority of whom do not have a long history of being Christian, who have accepted that walking closely with God in our daily life, being prepared to preach the Word at home and at work, among friends, colleagues and family, and yes, serving on missions - is simply what every normal Christian should do.  Birds fly, fish swim... and Christians preach, in word and in action.  That's our culture, and we should strive to keep building on that.

And we had so many examples to learn from in this trip - the principal of the school we visited, who is a bundle of energy, and led us through different villages, cheerfully greeting people by name, knowing who lives where and what each needs.  The lady who runs the orphanage for 33 (!!!) children, essentially on her own, as her own private initiative, with no big NGO or charity, just her earnings from the little laundromat she runs.  The level of selflessness was simply astounding.  But they are not without reward - the respect and love the students and orphans have for these two ladies is something awesome.

2. A little goes a long way

One of the places we went to help was a little school, privately run by the principal and two teachers.  The school operates out of an abandoned block of bare shophouses, with little ventilation, one toilet (with no door XD) and bare floors.  Yet we were touched by the big dreams they had for the children.  For the graduation, they made a huge effort to erect a stage with colourful skirting, banners, graduation costumes for the kids, professionally printed certificates, and yes, an end-of-year parents-teachers meeting :D  If kids in big cities have these things, why don't these kids deserve the same celebration?  The speaker at the graduation said as much - we believe in these kids - from here, they can go on to do big things!

The idea that the little help we provide can lead to bigger things was reinforced when we went to visit families in a nearby village.  It was a blisteringly hot day, and we were out in the open playing games and distributing provisions.  One of us casually remarked that it would be great if we could get some ice-cream.  As soon as he said those words, almost comically (and certainly supernaturally I'm sure), a middle-aged fellow put-putted around the corner on his motorcycle with his mobile ice cream container!

My friend was at first intent on bargaining with the fellow, since we intended to buy ice creams for all the kids.  Then he realised that each cone was only the equivalent of 20c, and feeding the entire village's kids would only cost a pittance, so... fine, 20c it is!  In that one act, he blessed the ice cream vendor with an entire day's business, if not more, and the entire village's kids.

The very next day, as we were trekking through villages to visit different homes, we came across one of the school kid's parents.  We remembered the kid had won a prize at the previous day's ceremony, and the trophy sat proudly on top of a shelf in their combination roadside stall/home.  One of us bought a chunk of the stall's snack inventory, and promptly gifted it all away at the next home we arrived at, when she realised that the little shack housed a single mother with 7 children.  In one generous act, she blessed the stallkeeper, and the next home.

We later reflected that, with so little money, we were able to bless such a large number of people.  How can we turn away, knowing that just that little amount of time and money and resources can produce such an outsize impact both now and in the future?

3. Everyone can be useful

Finally - a couple of us admitted that there was a sense of being "useless" at certain points during the trip.  Most of us can't speak the language.  We had one doctor in our midst, but for the rest of us, we didn't have medical expertise to help the sick.  But when all was said and done, we realised that everyone can be useful.  Just being there to hold and laugh with the children.  Leading cheers and songs and games.  Carrying groceries and handing out prizes and snacks.  Praying on the side even as the activity is going on.

Even more promisingly - each one of us will be even more useful *the next time we go*.  One of the tripmates was impressed that I used some simple magic tricks to share God's message of love at the orphanage.  Actually, it's just experience.  I was taught at my first mission trip many years ago - also to a land where I couldn't speak the language - when you have something visual like magic tricks, it really helps communication.  So I have learned to always bring these small knick-knacks for these trips - little ropes and handkerchiefs, sweets to appear and vanish - just in case we need it.  Sometimes we don't need them.  But this time, we did.  

And I continue to learn - from this trip, I picked up so many practical tips to do better the next time.  Try to pick up more local phrases, remember to sign up for roaming internet so we can use Google translate on the move (!), bring over-the-counter medication and nutritional supplements to give away to the ill, etc.  And the next time, with God's grace, I will be a little more useful than I was this time, so the experience I picked up from this trip won't be wasted.

Conclusion

In a very satisfying conclusion to God's spiritual guidance, I was touched that God supernaturally arranged for the church's scheduled devotional on 29 June 2019, the last day of our trip, to address the very same topic of building houses that catalysed this trip in the first place.  

[The king] says, "I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms." So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red.  [God responds] "Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?"

Jeremiah 22:14-15

No, it's clear that more and more of cedar, or money, or houses, doesn't make one a king.  What makes a king is how he cares for his people.  Jesus, my King, has shown me how well He has taken care of me all these years - I can surely learn to follow His example.  

And now that He's opened the door to show us the work that lies ahead, and we stand in the doorway, the question is whether we close that door with ourselves on one side of the door or the other.  On one side, we go back to our normal lives, with this trip a heartwarming memory in our history.  On the other side, we move forward into the unknown, with this trip the first step into the future.  It's scary, but do we step back, or step forward?  Shall we do so together? :)