Week two of students consisted of about 70 people from a large church out of Midland, Michigan. We got the cool opportunity to combine some construction ministry with some relational ministry, both starting with new partners & strengthening partners we have been talking & working alongside for weeks already.
After processing this week a little, I can look back and say confidently that God has taught me so much about how little things can be SUCH big deals.
Working with the elderly at assisted living facilities, and spending a lot of time with people who have Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related diseases, I have seen how the smallest amount of kind touch – like holding their hand – can be a BIG deal to them. It affirms their humanness. It reflects the big truth of the Gospel to them in a small act of love.
Spending time in a garden with elementary schoolers as well as Robin, the resident gardener, I have seen that a seemingly small or meaningless action like weeding plant beds or turning compost are actually BIG actions that lay the foundation for any amount of growth to happen. It reflects the way God works in us. It is teaching me how God works as a thoughtful, loving, intentional gardener in my own heart & soul.
Laughing, playing, and getting to know kids in the community has shown me that SMALL things like following through on your word can mean the BIGGEST thing to a child. This week, I made a new friend named Brooklyn, who is 10. She came to me and asked if I could help her fix her bike chain, which had fallen off. I did what I could on Tuesday without any tools, but told her I would try to get a wrench to fix it permanently on Thursday.
Wednesday night, I told one of the male leaders from the church the story about Brooklyn, and he offered to lend me the wrench. Thursday morning, he did a BIG thing by following through on his word to me, which allowed me to follow through for Brooklyn.
First thing on Thursday at the park, Brooklyn came running to me and yelling out my name. I pulled the wrench out of my backpack and we went right to fixing up her chain. This small action of loosening & tightening some bolts was the BIGGEST deal to sweet Brooklyn.
This experience this week made me think back to my childhood, when I was even younger than Brooklyn. My next door neighbor growing up, Mr. Don, would buy tons of messed up kids bikes and spend the Fall months refurbishing them to donate for Christmas, so that kids in the community who’s parents may not have been able to afford them could receive bikes for Christmas. Mr. Don invited me into this process, and I remember many days that he taught me how to tighten chains, fix handlebars, replace wheels, and more. This seemingly small action of letting me help, even when I was young and probably didn’t seem like I was learning anything, is what allowed me all of these years later to make a BIG impact on Brooklyn’s life.
I love this about ministry and I love this about Jesus. The small things matter, because the Kingdom doesn’t operate out of the same economy as the human world. The Kingdom says that all things done in love and His name matter, however big or small.
I am thankful for another great week, and I am thankful to get to love Madison. God is moving and is always good.
august laperche 