Last summer, I got a last minute call from a friend inviting me to join her on a week long missions trip, with a ministry called Sacred Road, to the Yakama Indian Reservation. The only problem was, she called the day before I would have to join them! Someone on her team had dropped out at the last moment and they were trying to fill the spot. Although I didn't go that week, the Lord used that day of wrestling in my heart, to plant a seed. I knew that this was a trip that I wanted to take one day .....
Well, this past week my dream came true as the Pastor and I, and our two teenagers, headed to the Yakama with 6 others from our small church. I was filled with anxiety, really not having much idea what to expect .... EXCEPT, that the week was going to be hard and out of my comfort zone. I think I was more nervous than excited going into the week, especially wondering what would be exposed in my heart (good and bad) and wondering how my teens would fare (and having to shepherd their hearts while there!).
I went into the week with the goal to listen to my heart: to hear what the Spirit was whispering to me and to invite Jesus into any exposed, overwhelmed, or tired places that surfaced. I also wanted to strive to be true to my real self and God's specific call on my life.... in the midst of meeting new people and living in close quarters with them (and fighting the tendency to be fake). I wanted to work hard (and fight the tendency to complain), and I desperately hoped for the opportunity to love on some needy children (to SEE them, and pay attention to which ones Jesus brought my way).... and connect with them in some way, speaking His love to their little hearts in ways they may never experience.
I for sure didn't expect this:
BEAUTIFUL country.
The church, Hope Fellowship, was surrounded by farmland. And if you know me, you know that the country is my love language. From the first moment we rolled down the dirt road toward the church, I KNEW that Jesus had good things in store for my heart. The girls stayed downstairs in the new facility and the boys had quite the adventure sleeping in a real teepee!!
We arrived on a Saturday evening, along with a number of other teams from around the country, and were greeted by the staff and summer interns of Sacred Road staff. We quickly got acclimated to our new surroundings and enjoyed a tour of the beautiful new facilities.
Sunday was orientation day. The ministry is headed up by Chris Granberry (pictured below). He has an incredible story about how the Lord moved him, his wife Mary, and four little children to the community of White Swan from Birmingham, Alabama about 12 years ago. It was very hard for me to imagine moving to a place like this without this wonderful building or people (which is what they did!). Having gone myself through two major cross country moves (away from family, to a far away, unknown place where the Lord was calling) I could very much appreciate the intense struggle Chris described in coming to the difficult decision to obey God's call that year, long ago. As always, the call of the Father was sure and amazing (you'll have to go listen to Chris and Mary's testimony yourself to hear all the details!) and it does my heart so good to hear how the Spirit works in the lives of other's for the sake of the Kingdom. It gives me great courage and hope to obey the Father's call upon my own life.
After a brief introduction that morning (along with a few cultural do's and don'ts .... like LIGHT handshakes, no pointing, and no "how are you doing?") Chris' lovely daughter led us in a beautiful time of worship. After singing we scrambled to get ready for worship, excited to witness the ministry of Hope Fellowship.
There's a t-shirt the ministry sells, that I love, with a little red bus on it that says, "Here comes the Church." If I had not witnessed the events of this particular Sunday, I would have no idea what that meant. Every Sunday morning, this bus travels to the surrounding neighborhoods, picking up children who want to come and worship. The first three rows of the sanctuary are saved for them (in fact, the church is made up of like 75% children). Most of them come alone, because they want to. As they come in, the interns and staff scoop them up with love and affection, having established long-term relationships with the kids. The service is pretty straight-forward, speaking to the intellectual level of the children. The worship was simple and beautiful. The kids are dismissed for children's church during the message to age-appropriate class-rooms... It was such a joy to be witness to the Lord's work here, to see the seeds being planted, and to worship with these brothers and sisters.
After the service each Sunday, there is a meal. Being one myself to often show hospitality and feed large groups, I was BLOWN AWAY and greatly humbled, by this particular ministry. Chris' wife Mary has been the master-mind behind this production for years. Her skill for organizing and planning, seeing the needy and feeding them, and LOVING them as they come through her kitchen will forever be imprinted on my heart. She has a stack of frozen birthday cakes in her freezer, ready to be whipped out and iced in a moments notice, if a child says it's their birthday. Her attention to detail, driven out of love, inspired and convicted me!!
Sunday afternoon we toured the Yakama Nation Museum in Toppenish as part of our orientation. This day was BY FAR, the most difficult for me. I kept reminding myself throughout the day, as Chris had said, that being confused and overwhelmed was normal. The tendency for me when I feel that way is to feel guilt and shame. BUT, I think I was able to fight that, and just simply allow myself to be in that confused and overwhelmed state. With no strings attached. I'm learning that it is most often in these difficult places that Jesus wants me to invite Him in, to speak deeply to my heart. He got us through that day, and the whole week, above and beyond what I could have imagined on that first Sunday. He showed up in some very intimate ways, restoring my soul in the process.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11: 28-30
