"Let me go over to that puzzle on the table and see if I can contribute to its completion." As I walked into the souvenir store outside of the Grand Canyon, I saw one of those landscape puzzles with a thousand or so pieces scattered on the table. The easiest part, that is the edges, was completed and some of the other parts had been worked on. Apparently, people who came into the store probably sat down to work on the puzzle like what I did.
Since the puzzle was in a store I don't think it was meant for any one person to complete it. My thought when I first saw the puzzle was, "I want to be part of the completion process and do my part." Many times I see God's plan for salvation and redemption in the same way. We are all given pieces of a puzzle to work on and one day all those pieces will come together to complete God's plan. Like the puzzle, it takes many hands and time spent to bring the puzzle together.
This summer "the piece of the puzzle" that God gave me was being in Arizona with the Navajo Native Americans. I was part of a tutorial team to help the kids with their academics. Being a teacher I wanted to use my skills in a tangible way. Ironically the strength/skill that I came with was not what God used. I would joke with my teammates that I had an average of five kids each day, but they were five different kids! It was difficult to teach to the children's area of need because I did not know which kids would show up for tutoring that day. So, it was not my fabulous teaching skills that God used but I guess it was my availability. I was able to meet with one of the Navajo teen-agers and have a one-on-one Bible study with him which was not my plan but God's plan. I also had some great conversations with some of the people where they shared about personal matters and now I can pray more specifically for them.
God in His sovereignty knows how the pieces of His plan will come together. We can all contribute in God's plan of salvation and redemption.
This summer I was in Arizona with Navajo Native Americans. I was part of a tutorial team to help the kids with their academics. Being a teacher, I wanted to use my skills in a tangible way. Ironically the strength/skill that I came with was not what God used. I would joke with my teammates that I had an average of five kids each day, but they were five different kids! It was difficult to teach to the children's area of need because I did not know which kids would show up for tutoring that day. So, it was not my fabulous teaching skills that God used but I guess it was my availability. I was able to meet with one of the Navajo teen-agers and have a one-on-one Bible study with him which was not my plan but God's plan. I also had some great conversations with some of the people where they shared about personal matters and now I can pray more specifically for them.
Ecclesiastes 11:5-6 says, "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." These verses remind me that we do not know the outcome, or even the working out, of what God does. We just need to faithfully and obediently trust Him by doing our part and know that God will do His part.
God really blessed me this summer with the privilege of participating in the PaLM Arizona VBS 2005. Having never gone on any previous mission trips, I did not know what to expect but I knew that God was about to do amazing things. I was assigned to teach the 4th- 6th grade girls, a task that took me off guard as I was expecting to be a co-teacher. Anxious and unsure of my assignment one thing Pastor Howard emphasized to the team was to be "flexible," and I really took that phrase to heart those 10 days.
The girls in my class were so encouraging and although many of them were not Christians, God was there during our lessons as the girls were really thinking and asking many in-depth questions about God and Satan. However, I really believed that I went to Arizona more as a student than a teacher. Granted I was to teach about God and the bible to these girls, but at the same time God really opened my eyes to the needs of the Navajo community and it was really humbling to learn about their difficult lifestyles and how little they had. One thing that struck me the most was their love and openness for our team. Even though we were strangers and many of the members on my team were there for the first time, you could see the joy in the children's faces that we had finally arrived and were going to play and spend time with them.
God also blessed me with an amazing team this summer consisting of 23 members from various churches and age groups but from day one we all clicked very well. It was so incredible to have that sense of unity and all working for the same purpose of serving God and showing His love to the Navajos. Even more, everyone was so willing to serve not only the Navajos and God but each other as well.
There are so many stories I could share about how God showed Himself to our team this summer, but I think the most important thing is to acknowledge that none of it was possible if it were not for God. I whole-heartedly believe that He was watching over and guiding our team the entire time. He has started a good work in Arizona and I trust He will not stop until it is finished. On the last day of our trip a member of our team challenged us to remember that this is not the "end" but only the "beginning." We can continue to build relationships and show love to these people through letters but also through prayers. May I remember that and keep it close to my heart always. Praise God!
