On Sabbath afternoon, us Student Missionaries went to the beach to relax and spend some time in God's creation. And what a peaceful way to do that! I spent a lot of time wading in the water and looking into its depths. I began asking God what he could teach me about himself through the ocean. If anyone knows me very well, you'd know that I have a great fear of deep water, so swimming out into the farthest parts of the ocean isn't quite my idea of a happy adventure. I thought about it for awhile and realized the ocean can tell me a lot about God- He is powerful, vast, filled with beautiful and amazing things that can only be found if searched for, dangerous, and inviting. Just like the ocean, he invites us to come to Him and jump into His immense love. He wants us to begin an adventure with Him, one that requires effort and all of our strength, but in the end is so worth all the work. And yes, He is dangerous. What He calls us to isn't always easy or simple, most of the time the best things He calls us to are challenges that are meant to help us grow- and that's not easy. And I think that's why it can be so scary- it takes work, and sometimes it's hard to trust when you feel like your drowning or you can't see the land yet. But I am so thankful that He calls me anyway, even though He knows I am fearful. God provides the strength and life and courage that I need, and that is what gets me to the other side. Praise God for the beautiful ocean He created that tells me so much of Him and His character.
After a while at the beach, we began walking back through the small back roads and villages there. We saw a volleyball game going on, and I could tell that Meghan and Mauricio wanted to go play with them. I, on the other hand, do not really enjoy sports that much and do NOT feel comfortable joining a game that I can barely even play. We fetched the ball for them when it went into the gutter, and they asked if we wanted to come and play with them for the next game. Of course, they said yes- and I grudgingly decided to stay with these two crazies. Suddenly I noticed that there were a group of children nearby, and, well, although I don't enjoy sports or swimming in deep water, I DO enjoy children!! I introduced myself to the kids and asked all their names in tetum. They were giggling and laughing and saying things about the "Malay" who kept talking to them(Malay means foreigner here). I laughed and asked them how old they all were. They were so adorable and friendly! Eventually they started playing games and so I watched and then asked if they could teach me the games. The girls were very shy, but helped me try the games anyway! It was so fun! By the end of the volleyball games (which could have lasted a while, I wasn't paying attention to them!) I had a baby in my lap, a child braiding my hair, and a circle of children sitting, holding my hands and teaching me more local games in Tetum. I cannot express how soothing this was to my soul- these adorable children had officially accepted me as their friend, even though we don't speak the same language or share the same heritage, and that made my heart sing. I learned about 4 new games yesterday, and can't wait to go back and try playing them again!! Praise God for teaching me lessons about His amazing love and joy through children and the ocean! What a fulfilling and bright day. Until next time, Miss McEddy
2 Comments
Marcia
9/4/2016 07:25:45 am
Beautiful thoughts, Julia!! God's character is the ultimate definition of beauty- unmeasurable love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- which makes all his gifts unsurpassable! Missing you!! Hugs! 💞
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Barbara
9/11/2016 09:16:45 pm
Dear Julia, I can so resonate with not being good at sports. I didn't know any of today's generation has the same problem. I learned to adore snorkeling, but yes, it was a learning process. But the island kids, melt my heart, the scene you described are so precious. So glad you are learning language and games quickly. I love all the smiles in this picture. Keep writing. I love your thoughts.
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AuthorI am an elementary education major and am in love with Jesus Christ. I want to serve Him as best as I can, which has lead me to this missions experience. I also love painting and drawing, cooking, crafting, and spending time with people I love. I grew up living in a whole bunch of different places as a child, so the airplane is a place I feel comfortable. Archives
February 2017
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