Tuesday started week two of ministry here in Battambang, Cambodia.
My team’s ministry for this month is working in a local trauma hospital, as well as planning a Children’s Read Aloud at the Ezra Café Library.
Every morning at 8:30am my team and I will bike to the trauma hospital. From 9am-11am, half of my team will go outside and play games/make connections with the caregivers. In Cambodia, nurses do not provide their patients with basic needs like ours in America do. Instead, they just give them their specific dosage of medicine. It is one of the patient’s family members (caregivers) job to feed, bathe, clothe, etc. the patient if they are not able to do so themselves. Caregivers have to take off work, find babysitters, and stop their everyday life in order to care for their family members in the hospital. The caregivers usually sit outside in order to find rest and take a break. My team is able to play games (usually Jenga) and invite others to join. This helps us to make connections with the people around us.
We are not openly allowed to speak of our faith in the hospital. For us to be able to pray for someone or tell the Gospel to others, we have to be asked. I struggled with this concept at first. I was aggravated that I could not go up and ask someone if I could pray for them. I believed that the only way that these people would come to know Christ was if my teammates or I, personally went up to them and lead them to the Lord.
If we are not outside in the courtyard of the hospital, we are inside making Christmas cards. Ann (our ministry partner for the month) started a paper making company at the hospital. This paper is used to make holiday/birthday/thank you cards. The cards are sold in various countries. Ann hopes to eventually move the paper-making machine into a small village- giving the people who live there a way to make money. It is an amazing project, and don’t get me wrong…I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Christmas 24/7. All the time. Sign me up!! But when I was first told that I would be making Christmas cards as a ministry, I questioned God.
The Lord really tested my faith in these moments. I wasn’t allowed to openly speak about my faith in public at the hospital, and the other half of my time was spent in a room making Christmas cards. “What is the point of this??” I asked God.
Before the race, I asked God to reveal Himself to me in new ways that I have never experienced before. I asked for healings, casting out of demons, and the dead raised back to life…all the things I have read about in scripture but have never experienced firsthand. Things that I know He can do and still does, we just have to ask for it.
So when I found out what my ministry was, I was upset with God. I asked for new experiences, and I received Christmas card making.
I was soon reminded by one of my squadmates that I am here to bring the kingdom of God.
Bringing kingdom is not just the “big things”. It’s loving those around you that the Lord has put in your path. It’s doing whatever He has laid before you to the absolute best of your ability.
God has placed me exactly where He wants me to be. All I am asked to do, is to love like Jesus loves. And be thankful in all circumstances.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10
God is changing my mindset. I am extremely excited to see His plan for this next month in ministry, and the rest of my time on the field. I am open to all the new experiences that He is laying before me, whether that is being used to heal someone or designing a Christmas card.
Often you are asked to plant the seeds, instead of reaping the harvest.
Ways you can pray:
- That my team will have opportunities to start conversations and share our faith with the caregivers (language is a huge barrier, some of us are trying to learn general Khmer to make it easier)
- Joyous attitudes while doing ministry
- The hearts of those that we are witnessing to
- Health for my teammates and squad
- Safety while traveling to and from ministry (bike riding in Cambodia can get intense!)
Gracie, this post brought to mind the song “Dream Small” by Josh Wilson. We must all remember that we should meet God where we are in all the what we would consider small moments. Always remember that God can do great things with these small moments. Keep loving God and others! Love and prayers to you and your team.
It is the small but very detailed things in the scriptures that are very important! Jesus likes details! When the Angel came to the tomb, and. He rolled the stone away, the scripture said, ” he sat on the stone”! I love this, because it shows me our Lord likes details! Everything you do for Him is important! It may not seem so big to you, but these are the ” details” of your life! And it’s important to our Lord!! Just keep doing what He tells you!! It’s for His glory!! Love you and I pray all of Gods blessings for you!
Oh sweetie, surely seeing God creating a masterpiece! You are beautiful and so willing! Always in my prayers
I love you!!!
This is just what I needed. As God’s is changing you, he’s working on us as well. We love and miss you but excited to see how God is working in your life as well as those around you.
Prayers for you and your team as you help others and spread gods word.
God is in the small things,….. plow the ground, plant those seeds, water, and pray. You were chosen to go so don’t think for a second that what you’re doing is insignificant.. I truly believe that God is slowly revealing Himself to you in ways you could not understand back here at home. Finish this race He has brought you to and remembered that it might not be revealed to you here on this earth why, but one day you’ll see and understand. Thank you for being His willing vessel. Much love and many prayers!!?
As Christians we have to remember that when God calls us to ministry He puts us in situations we may not understand at the moment, but He knows the outcome. Let your life reflect Him. Remember 1 Cor. 10:31.” Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all for the glory of God.” People are watching you, even when you don’t know it, so let your light shine in every waking moment, regardless of the task that’s set before you. God’s using you!!!!
Isn’t it amazing Gracie, the small things we encounter in life can hold such great lessons from God. Lessons that will help us the rest of our lives to be more like Jesus. I am overwhelmed of the things you are learning and where you are with Jesus in such a short span of life (18 years). Things that has taken me years to learn and am still learning. I will be praying about your requests and continue to pray for you day and evening. Having our minds renewed is a wonderful thing. We just need to be willing vessels. I do enjoy your posts. It helps in more ways than I can say. Love you so much.
It’s amazing when God takes time to reach out to us. Growing our faith and to slow us down to realize the importance of little things. God bless you and your team.
Gracie,
So great to hear what God is teaching you and how He is stretching you. Just continue to spread love and truth! He will use your efforts in ways you cannot even imagine! We will pray for opportunities. We love and miss you!
Keep your eyes open for God appointments – He has them for you I’m sure. Thanks for being honest about the process to get to a joyful place in ministry. See you soon!
Gracie…most all of the big things were made from small things. God has put you where He wants you. By doing the small things can bring you the biggest blessings…Love you
Gracie!! I pray that God continues to bless you and your squad throughout your journey. I miss you so much and love you more than you know!
Gracie, in the book of Colossians, Paul is speaking to the people in Colossae and is leaving some instructions for a Christian household. In ch 3, vs 23-24, he says:
“23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
We all, at one time or another, think that there must be something more important we can be doing for Him, (I know I do, anyway). But if we all did the big things, nobody would be doing the small things and we would realize just how important those small things really are. He trusts you with the little things now so he can give you bigger things as you grow in Him.
I am praying for your Ezra House ministry over the next few days and know God has big plans. Keep smiling!
This is just awesome! God is so good. Thank you Gracie for sharing. Keep being obedient to God. It’s His battle. We are His servants. I’m reminded of Jesus washing the disciples feet. It’s the seemingly little things that count.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Thank you for sharing Gracie! You are in my prayers. You never know how God is going to use what seems insignificant to us to bless someone else. I am excited to continue to follow your posts and see how God is using you and your team.