But I can always rely on God to remind me of how big he is, and he lifts me up and gives me perspective. And that's just what happened on Tuesday this week.
It was Girls on the Run day, and I was set to lead the session. On community. Blah. Seemed boring at first glance, but as I studied the words and prayed about how to share them, a transformation began to happen. Hope started blossoming. Hope in the girls. Hope FOR the girls. Hope for ALL girls.
With two very simple activities, they learned this about community:
1. For a community (ie. work project, team, family, village) to run smoothly, everyone has to do their part and do it correctly. We have to put our trust in others for the good of a common cause. We have to rely on each other. They illustrated this in a circle, with half the group leaning their weight out and half leaning in.
2. To effect change, all we have to do is reach out to one or two people. The girls did a relay and when the first girl on each team returned to the line, she tagged two girls instead of one, and those two tagged two. And in no time at all, they finished the race.
It reminded me that when problems seem too big for me to tackle alone, well, they probably are too big. And that's why we reach out. That's why we rely on others. We can make BIG, BIG changes to make the world a better place, and it all starts with making contact with one or two other people, who (when passionate about your cause) make contact with one or two people and so on.
That night, we gathered on our bed to read our Bible. And I'm sure we're behind significantly on our plan, but we must be right where God wants us. We read Mark 4:30-32 where God tells his disciples the parable of the mustard seed -- the smallest of all seeds but when planted becomes the largest of all garden plants. He compared it to the kingdom of God.
Ryker said he liked the story, but I wasn't entirely sure of its meaning, so I asked Dan to read the footnote in his study Bible. It said: "When you feel alone in your stand for Christ, realize that God is building a worldwide kingdom. He has faithful followers in every part of the world. Your faith, no matter how small, can join with that of others to accomplish great things."
WOW. After traveling to Africa and seeing GREAT faith in the villages where often that's all people have to rely on because there isn't adequate healthcare, enough food or a trustworthy government, it reminded me that while I am small, I am truly part of something HUGE! Because they rely on God, and God uses his army of Christians to provide help to these small villages and in all corners of the world.
On Thursday, the Girls on the Run girls got together and brainstormed ideas for their community project. They were randomly numbered off by one of the other coaches, and on one of the teams were several girls who go to my church. Two whose families are collecting aluminum cans to donate. They're being sold by one of our pastors. To buy rice. For kids in an orphanage in an African village that I had visited during my trip. Their idea for a community service project: invite everyone in the community to donate their aluminum and imagine the rice we can buy for the orphans!
Each of the three teams submitted ideas, and this one won by a landslide!
I love the concept of community being taught to these girls, because it's such a CRITICAL lesson! But how beautiful that God used it as an opportunity to remind our family of how a faithful community is rewarded with the gift of being able to accomplish great things in his name!
Here are some of the beautiful kids from the orphanage, currently located in Waterloo, Sierra Leone. If you would like to donate aluminum cans or other aluminum to help with the Girls on the Run project, please call me at 801.7464 or drop off your donation on my porch before next Wednesday. Thanks for being part of the Girls on the Run community, which is making a difference for the Children's Redemption Orphanage Home community in Africa!
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