Last Monday, child #2 texted me from mission camp. I had asked what he had done on his site that day. "We're chopping down bamboo, Mama." Well, ok, that shouldn't take too long I thought. On Tuesday, I asked the same question. He responded the same way! Another day of chopping down bamboo! Mercy! I thought to myself...how much bamboo do these people have? On Wednesday, I got the same response! By Thursday, I had stopped asking!Then, clarification arrived via another mom whose child was on the same site. They were clearing out the field of bamboo to get to the door that leads under the house. After many years of growth, the bamboo had surrounded a side of the house. No one could get under it at all.
Once the door could be opened, the kids climbed under and helped to tear out a bathroom floor that had rotted. Then, they helped replace the old floor with a new one.
But, it all started with the removal of the bamboo forest! I think of the old statement that "you can't see the forest for the trees!" When I saw this picture that hubby took ( I was on college visit #2 with child #1 who left the camp at midnight the night before!!), I was amazed at all of the trees. I had no idea how many child #2 was talking about!
Once we remove strongholds in our lives, God can show us His perfect plan. He will lead us step by step down His path if only we will let Him. We tend to want to do it all ourselves. Letting go and letting God is what I need to practice each day!
These are some of the kids ( their site leader behind child #2) that worked on the bamboo site. Each group had to leave a cross for their family using materials on hand at the site. I loved this! All bamboo! The crosses reminded the families of God's great love and sacrifice for them. The kids sacrificed a week of their summer vacation and endured temps in the upper 90's. But the kids received more than their families that they served. They saw God at work using their hands and feet to plant seeds of love and hope for those less fortunate.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.--Galatians 6:9
Sweet Blessings,
12 comments:
A very vital lesson, and precious for your son to have experienced this.....loving like Jesus.
Susan,
How wonderful to see God at work in the lives of those children. I love the story of the bamboo crosses. Thank you for sharing. And what a great picture of the kids.
Thank you also for the sweet words of encouragement you left on my blog about our Ephesians Study. I am thankful God is using your time in His Word to take you to new places in your walk with Him. It is truly an answer to my prayers!
Blessings to you,
Wendy
Clearing away the bamboo to get to the root of the issue... the rotted floorboards. As it goes with the physical, so it goes with our hearts.
Even so, get to my floorboards Lord Jesus.
peace~elaine
Love it when God uses our kids to teach us big stuff!
My two oldest boys are headed to youth camp on Sunday. Please be praying for them to surrender their lives completely to Jesus!
Love ya! Lee
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story of a house transformed from ruin to restoration. Great example you gave of letting God tear down the bamboo that is rotting our lives and replacing it with His cross. The kids on this mission trip will never forget this!
Have a lovely day, Susan. Enjoying record heat in Raleigh, but Jon and I are still hiking in it!
Hugs, Mary
Loved your post and thank you for sharing the "transformation."This is how our Heavenly Father works in our lives-transforming ruin to restoration!
Wonderful illustration of how the Lord works!I am sure those children will remember forever.
Blessings.
It must be a wonderful experience to your children to serve God this way. We come from such a small church our youth have tried a mission trip. I think this sounds amazing.
They will never forget this week. I still remember my 1st summer missions/camp week. We worked so hard serving the poorest of poor in the mtns of Tenn. There's something about giving of your body AND spirit to serve the Lord.
Great testimony. Those strongholds seem to build up slowly over the years without even realizing it.
That definitely takes endurance, and what a testimony! The idea of leaving a cross is a great one, and they had the materials! What a great way to choose to spend a week of their summer vacation. I know God will bless them for it. Hope you are having a great summer. Jackie
Love this story, Susan, and the way these kids are being the hands and feet of Jesus. As these trips show there is usually lots of clearing and removing to be done before the building can begin. Hope your son comes back with new eyes and a new heart.
Hope you're having a great summer.
Love ya'
Kelli
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