What Am I Trying to Do?
Recently I spent a lot of time crafting a children’s program for an upcoming weekend camp. My friend Kathi had designed an amazing children’s program for a one-week ESL camp, that she then adapted for another week-long children’s program for Missionary Kids.
My friend Kathi teaching her children’s program
Kathi’s class having so much fun with her
I was going to take this adapted program and whittle it down further to a weekend experience. After buying supplies, creating a timeline, running off worksheets and assembling all the materials in a convenient container, I was proud to show my adult daughter what I had accomplished. After stumbling along for a few minutes, she finally said, “I’m confused. What are you trying to do?”
My initial reaction was to laugh, but then I thought, “What AM I trying to do?” I answered honestly, “Keep the kids occupied for 5+ hours.”
“So, then, you could just play games and have that be a lot more fun.”
Now, I was a little dismayed. I had just spent all this time and energy creating code wheels and making slime and buying fun containers. What was I going to do with all the stuff? (See photos below.)
We worked together for a bit, and I got my head around a couple of key concepts: simplify and return to the fundamentals. Looking at my program, that meant getting rid of a lot of the worksheets. I had way too many concepts I was trying to address. It also meant singing only two songs, not five. And fundamentally, what did I want to say? Each of us are so precious to God that he sent Jesus to seek and restore that relationship.
What Is Our Calling?
How does this relate to “Wisdom from the Field”? I think many times we try to overcomplicate our work. We read the newest book, sing the latest song, try another angle. We get overwhelmed with a new culture, new language, new relationships. We forget what our calling was and assume another’s call instead.
When we joined the World Mission Prayer League (WMPL) many years ago, my husband and I both knew our call was to work with the Home Office. Generally, Home Office work is not the call of mission biographies, but we both had identified Hebrews 10:24-25 as the bedrock of our work. It was to support the global worker and to raise prayer for the urgent task of taking the name of Jesus into the harder places of the world.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
— Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
The guesthouse in Ecuador that we hosted in 1997-1998
Leslie in a classic admin position, proofreading a document
After a few years we were offered the opportunity to go to Ecuador, one of our countries of service, to serve in a short-term role of guesthouse hosts. We accepted, as we would continue to be supporting the global worker and it didn’t need intensive language learning.
Leslie and Richard timidly anticipating the new adventure in Ecuador
Leslie and Richard in Ecuador
Our two-year assignment lasted 10 months. We were glad for the opportunity, but it became clear that 1) other arrangements had been in the works before we were offered this assignment, and 2) we were creating work for the team abroad that was distracting them from their call.
Richard and Leslie
Street scene in Ecuador
Food market scene in Ecuador
Crowd in Ecuador
In addition, assumptions were being made about what we were able to do. Lead a Bible study? Nope. We don’t speak the language.
Play the piano for special events? Nope. Neither of us play the piano.
Provide transportation for activities. Nope. The vehicle being stored on the property was not ours. We used public transportation to get around.
When the assigned hosts of the guesthouse decided to return early, and the team was trying to keep our family of five in the same guesthouse, thereby reducing any rooms to be available for guests, we knew it was time for us to leave. It was time to ask, “What are we trying to do?”
For most of us in global church work, we answer the question, “What are we trying to do?” with the words of Jesus known as the Great Commission, “Go, make disciples of all nations, baptize and teach” (Matthew 28:19-20). But our going sometimes becomes convoluted with Bible school and seminary and weddings and babies and visas. Once in a host country, we can get distracted from making disciples by just living life in another culture.
We remember that Jesus said:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8
But we forget that the men and women then “joined together constantly in prayer” before the day of Pentecost came.
Keep It Simple, Return to Basics!
Jesus knew, too, to keep it simple and return to the basics. He was asked, what are the two greatest commandments? He answered, “Love God. Love others” (Matthew 22:37-39). Perhaps we might look at our calendars and ask about each item listed, “Is this helping us to love God or to love others?” Is it something that we have been called to? Or are we assuming another’s call? Have we stepped in when perhaps another should have? Or was God leading in a different direction?
If we go ahead and claim, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), perhaps we should remember to keep it simple and return to the basics.
For now, I have a curriculum to rewrite. The activities of Treasure Hunt will focus instead on Jesus seeking after the lost.
Keep it simple: the shepherd looked until he found the sheep, the woman looked until she found the coin, Jesus looks and rejoices over us.
And the fundamentals: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Pris and Leslie at the end of the weekend camp in August 2024. A good time was had by all.
