"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in
insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak,
then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10
Sixteen days ago, I found
myself sitting in the dining hall of a picturesque hotel in Quito, Ecuador. The following night, over 100 teenagers from Texas
to Toronto to Trinidad would be flying into the city, ready and anxious to
begin their mission trip experience. And there I was, a brand new staff member
just learning the ropes of what it meant to be a part of this group called
Ultimate Workout. Throughout our staff orientation, we were repeatedly told and
asked to recite the three goals of ultimate workout: to create a spiritually
transforming experience for the participants, to construct quality buildings,
and to supplement the local outreach programs. "All are important, but the
primary goal is first and foremost that the participants have a spiritually
transforming experience." I sat and listened to this as the pastor of one
of the five sites, Antigua. I was responsible for making sure the Antigua participants
had a spiritually transforming experience
on this trip? How on earth was this going to happen?
I felt vulnerable.
Then suddenly we were a
group of 32, the Antigua family, making our home in a cramped school tucked in
downtown Ambato, sharing tents with strangers who were destined to turn into
lifelong friends. Then it was time for the first evening worship, my first
major responsibility. I was excited for and felt capable in interacting with
the participants on a one-on-one basis. I love teens and I love hearing their
hearts! But as I stood up to lead out in our first ice-breaker game, all I could
hear was spiritually transforming
experience, and I knew that I couldn't deliver.
I felt vulnerable.
My prayer journal
throughout the entire trip goes something like this for each day: "Ok God,
I have no idea what I'm doing here. I can't do this without You. There's no way
this is going to work without You being the one in charge. Please, please show
up. Show up in a way that only You can do. I need You. We need You."
Vulnerable.
And He showed up. Incredible
things started happening. Hearts started to open. Our family began to share
with one another who we were and from where we had come, our joys and our pains.
And we found solidarity, knowing we weren't alone in what we had experienced.
We were united and we learned and healed and grew from one another.
Through being vulnerable.
It seems that it is
rarely in our strengths that we experience the most transformation. Rather, it
is when we are weak, when we allow our frailness to be revealed, to be
touched--therein do we find the glory of God in big ways. Therein do we find
restoration. And so I do believe it was
a spiritually transforming experience, not just for the participants, but for
me as well.
Because God met us in our
vulnerability. And it was powerful.
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| My Antigua Family |
