Making a Difference

When you've done the same thing over and over again, it's easy to forget why you do it. Do the CIs really make that much of a difference in children' lives to justify the time and energy we put into it? It's a question I've been asking myself as I spend time serving in the CI this year.

It's easy for me to justify commitment to a ministry by pointing to the fulfilment it gives me, the people I enjoy working with, or the love I have for a certain country but clearly, this doesn't give the full picture. One lesson we've been teaching the children this year is about sensitivity. The point I love about the lesson is that when we are sensitive to the people around us, we are being Jesus' arms and legs. A little girl with a cut on her leg might pray for Jesus to come fix it but it is the sensitivity of a passer-by that will answer that prayer, though Jesus isn't hindered from accomplishing it Himself.

The concept of being Jesus' arms and legs has been a good reminder to me this week as I did things I didn't feel accomplished much, whether it was reasoning with a boy who insisted on chewing on Christmas lights or comforting a 4 year old screaming for her mother. It's something I'm still very much learning, that the success of our ministry can't always be quantified.

Today was the last day of our CI in Kaohsiung. As the day came to a close, a teacher came to ask if I would visit her small group to sign the children's books. The children's excitement over that simple act surprised me! Later on, a lady approached with her daughter, asking if she could snap a picture of us together. Her other daughter, already attending the Basic Seminar, stood beside her and she mentioned remembering me from when she was attending the CI. Two little incidents. But just as our ministry is sometimes through avenues that seem so small, so too do such little incidents encourage my heart and remind me of why it is so worthwhile to serve our Lord!

Jolynn Tan