Wednesday, August 23, 2006

We built a red cross facility

When we showed up to our worksite that first day in Honduras it was an empty lot except for several piles of cement blocks and some cement mixers. We were being asked to build a Red Cross facility for the city of Comyagua... since none of us had worked in construction before it was a bit overwhelming to think about the task, but we started in feet first.

We were given a quick lesson on how to lay the blocks by one of our adult chaperones. Put the mortar on the previous block, place the new block, make sure it is level with our string, move it until it is, scrape the mortar, start over with next block. We did this over and over and over for almost 2 weeks and became "experts" at the tender ages of 16-18 years old.

It was hard work. The blocks were heavy and we were constantly lifting them again and again. In order to transport them from the stock pile to the work area we had to set up a "block brigade" - we all lined up from the pile to the work area and swung the blocks one at a time to each other. My friend got hit in the head with one of them and had to go back to camp to be checked. We were all jealous because she got her hair washed with warm water:)

We worked in pairs and we got to know each other well. We got slap happy a lot and had mortar fights. It was hard work, but it was good work and God was working in us at the same time.

I suppose we could compare the work that God does in our lives to the work we did there. He builds our faith one brick at a time. The Holy Spirit lays the mortar, places the next brick of faith on top, lines it up with God's will, and scrapes the remains away only to begin again with the next brick of faith. Sometimes our faith lines up with God's will the first time, but often the Holy Spirit has to jiggle it and move it around until it lines up - sometimes it never lines up perfectly, but it is functional the way it is (but think about it - one skewed brick creates a whole mess, doesn't it? It affects everything else after that). I know that I often get anxious and want to have a whole building RIGHT. NOW. but it doesn't work that way. We didn't build that Red Cross facility in one day and neither will I become who God wants me to be in one day. One brick at a time - keep telling myself that.

QOTD:
How is God working in your life TODAY?
getting to know me in 100 days - day 8

5 comments:

kkoois 9:28 AM  

great post, jana! great analogy of the holy spirit and our faith with the bricks.

that is something that i need to be reminded of this very day as i struggle with trying to become the christian wife and mother that god wants me to be. but, just like you said, i want it right now. thank you for reminding me that the holy spirit is working on me and my faith is being built day by day.

Anonymous 10:27 AM  

Ditto to what Kim said. I want to be 'it' (what God desires me to be) RIGHT NOW, but struggle with the whole process...the refining, the teaching, the rebuking, the trials. Today, specifically, I want my way. I want to be comfortable in my own body again. I want to meet this little one. I want two days away from my house! :) Jana, thank you for letting God use you to encourage me today. BIG HUGS to you!

Anonymous 2:00 PM  

Hey! Hi. :)

Have you turned your blog into a questionaire? Did I spell that right? Too lazy to get the ol' Webster out. Oh heck, let me look this up. Ok, hold please......

Webster says: questionNaire. I was close. I get an A for affort. :)

Bye now! :)

Anonymous 4:49 PM  

love your analogy :)
last night we had a devotion at a meeting I was at and the end I was really struck by this line.

We often ask ourselves what God's will is for our life. His will for my life is to live His will.

Carol 5:02 PM  

GREAT WORDS, my friend! You are making me cry. I am really trying to connect with God and give Him that 'control' that I've been clinging to. To have that faith that He will do what's right for me will help me give up that control to Him, only with the help of the MORTAR MAN (the Holy Spirit)!
How is God working in me TODAY? This week I have been really trying to connect with God by talking with Him and laying my burdens down.

FIX YOUR EYES UPON JESUS CHRIST, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTOR OF OUR FAITH. (Hebrews 12:2a)

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