There are moments in ministry that are hard. Moments where you're crying alongside the people you're ministering to. There are also moments that are simply fun. Whether ministry is difficult or full of laughter, it is always worth it.
Living life on mission gives you the opportunity to share the Gospel and the love of Christ with people who may have never experienced that kind of love before. Sometimes that life takes you to places you never expected or has you doing things you never imagined were even possible.
That is exactly what happened to me.
We met some men who use carabao, water buffalo, to pull logs that have been cut down. One day we asked one of the men if we could ride his carabao. He told us what day to come and where we could find him.
When the day arrived, we struggled a little to find his house. When we finally got there, he wasn't home, but his family was. After talking with them for a while, they agreed to take us to where the carabao were.
When we reached the river, we could see three different carabao standing in the water. Then Nanay T disappeared around a bend in the river with one of my teammates. A few minutes later they came back around the corner, my teammate was riding the carabao while Nanay T led it with a rope. She guided it out of the river and over to a shady spot beneath some trees.
Then it was my turn.
It took me a couple of tries just to climb onto the carabao, and then I was immediately kicked off. Nanay T moved the carabao to another spot to see if it would be easier there. This time I managed to get on.
That's when the real fun started.
I've never ridden a bucking bull before, but after this experience, I think I have a pretty good idea of what it feels like.
Picture this.
I'm standing on an old tree stump so I can actually reach the top of the carabao. I give him a few pats to let him know I'm friendly and not there to hurt him. Then, knowing that if I hesitate I'll probably fall anyway, I jump onto his back in one quick motion.
The instant I land, he starts moving.
I was not ready.
Within a second he starts jerking around, and about two seconds later I'm flying through the air. In my mind, I was airborne for at least twenty seconds. According to the video, it was closer to two or three.
Thankfully, I landed pretty softly, jumped right back up, and somehow walked away without any pain or bruises.
As much fun as it was to ride a carabao, and as thankful as I am that the T family was so welcoming and hospitable, my favorite part actually came afterward.
We went back to their house, and they wanted to make sure I was okay. While we were talking, we asked if we could share why we had come all the way to the Philippines. We explained that we were Americans who had traveled to the other side of the world because we had a story we wanted to share.
We spent some time learning about what they believed about God, and then we had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them using a Gospel presentation tool we had been given.
That day we got to laugh together. We got to create a memory that I hope they'll never forget, because I certainly won't. They'll probably be telling people for years about the American who rode their carabao and got bucked off into the air.
But more importantly, we were able to give them something far greater than a funny story. We were able to share the Gospel. And that's why we came.
We care so much for you that we are pleased to share with you not only the Gospel but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 1 Thess. 2:8
Pray that the T family would continue thinking about the Gospel they heard, and that the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts. And pray that God would continue to provide unexpected opportunities to build relationships that lead to Gospel conversations.
Philippines Summer Media Intern