Serving with His Heart

There has been so much since we landed here. I think it’s finally setting in that I’m going to be here for a while.

The first week we had world view training in the mornings. It was incredible. We learned how to view the world with different lenses. How to see the world from the brokenness of God’s perspective, instead of the brokenness of our own. How to dignify and edify people whose life doesn’t look the same as ours. “We have to close our physical eyes and turn our thoughts on Jesus” and then recognize that loving Jesus looks the same in every nation. Love isn’t bound by boarders or language or culture. The expression of love and hope can only be hindered by our ability or rather inability to give it. And then receive it as well.

We spent the afternoons of that week going to help at the School aftercare program. We helped by serving the kids food, assisting their homework completion and playing games. The first couple of days I felt my experience was so much different than the rest of our team and I was definitely a little discouraged (but in the best way I think). Day one I got to do the dishes after the children ate. And then day 2 I was placed in a classroom with a teacher who seemed as though she didn’t want us to talk to or help the children. So me and three other girls sat in the classroom for an hour staring at our shoes. We did eventually get to put stickers on the graded pages and then we talked to the teacher about all she has on her plate, which was so good because I think it’s so easy to focus on the kids when in reality it just as important to build those relationships with the teachers. But in the moment coming home from the second day I was a little disappointed, especially because connecting with kids isn’t one of my strengths. And then the third day visiting the school there was a retirement celebration for the principal so all the kids got to play outside for the afternoon. And because of how the previous two days had gone I didn’t have a whole bunch of new little friends like the rest of our group did. But I did have a little girl come up to me and say “hey, I saw you in my class yesterday.” Which was such a great reminder that sometimes showing up is enough. Our presence in the room does change the atmosphere even if we don’t say anything. We just have to trust God is working in our silence.

This Monday, the 12th, my roommate and I finally got to go to a host family! The rest of our team left for host families 2 weeks ago on Friday the 2nd. Our host family had been out of town so we got to stay at the main compound with Ma and Pa for a couple extra days. It was so nice to be able to spend extra time with them and be at the house. After a week of listening to all the fun host family stories and adventures it was easy to feel like I was missing out.

It’s so easy to compare my experience to those around me and become jealous of what God is doing in their life. But if I truly allowed God to take over my mind I’d see how he’s working in my heart. I realized through the school and host families that we are all apart of the same mission. We’re all working towards a common goal so those stories are also mine to share. Their testimony is my testimony; all for the glory of God.

I think so much of my time is really just learning to receive what God has already planned for me to have, and not consuming my mind with things that weren’t meant for me. It’s not worth my time to worry about missing out. - xoxo, Aspen

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Ephesians 13: 18-19