1 Corinthians says, “Love is patient, love is kind.” That verse is so easy to say but not quite as easy to live out. Especially when you put 18 teenage girls in a confined space and give them work projects in 100 degree Puerto Rican heat (at least it seems like 100 degree in the barrio where wind is not common).
Training camp was all fun and games (quite literally) but the mission field turned out to be much more difficult–emotionally and physically.
Ephesians 5:11 says, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” So that’s exactly what we did.
One hot Friday night, the team gathered in the gaga ball pit here at Camp Caribe to talk about it. As we poured out our feelings to the entire team, frustrations slowly began to fade away, and we ended the night with positive words of encouragement.
Don Rock–aka the dude who made our trip happen–sent us a verse all the way from Georgia to help. It was Romans 15:5-6: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude and mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is what happens when you cast the devil out of a place and say no to conflict. This is what happens when you have the courage to confront conflict head on instead of ignoring it. Lastly this is what happens when you choose to put the ministry of God first and let go of everything else.
I personally believe I’ve become bolder and braver as a result of this. I’ve learned nothing good comes from bottling up your thoughts when you know they could change things. Vulnerability is so, so good!
To give a final update, our team is doing great now. We’ve let go of everything and have found a sense of peace as one body. Praise be to God for bringing us all together and for giving us the strength to carry on through difficult and sweaty times.
