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Yesterday we held day two of our Paper Bead Clinic. Nineteen women came to work with their hands and to try to learn a new skill...to provide for their families. You would think that sitting down under a tent cutting and pasting cardboard might be relaxing. But, for many of these women, it's a morning of frustrations. Some of them can't find their bag of supplies because they can't recognize their name on it. Many of these women do not know how to use scissors....they are trying to learn how to cut along a line to make neatly cut triangles. (And most of our scissors are child-sized, which are not ideal.)  Most of them have never used a ruler to measure with, so we resorted to creating triangle templates for them to trace...but even holding a pen to trace these triangles is a new and frustrating thing to learn. Once they get some triangles cut, they must learn how to roll these triangles around a toothpick with glue. There were many scrunched, scowling foreheads and tongues licking at lips.

Oh, the skills and education we take for granted.

After a frustrating morning, these ladies wanted to take their supply bags home with them so they could work at home until our next clinic on Monday. When I think about the lengths they are going to do seize this opportunity, I am humbled. They walk to get here. Many of them must find childcare. And many of them are intimidated by scissors and pens and rulers and this white American who makes it look so easy. They were definitely out of their comfort zone.

I am humbled. Through a homeschooling lesson, a daily devotional, and also a Beth Moore DVD, God has put Matthew 25:14 in front of me... 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.    19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

   21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

And for the day of the clinic, God led me to share Proverbs 31 with the ladies... encouraging women to work with their hands, to provide for their families, to not let their lamps go out at night, to be women who feared the Lord. Right back at me, right, Lord!?

How often to do put myself out of my comfort zone or go out of my way to learn a new skill or even use the talents and gifts God has given me? So often it's so easy to sit back and not tackle a project because it would tax me a little. God is definitely trying to make a point. It would be easy to think that just because I'm sitting here in Haiti that I've already done my duty to get out of my comfort zone. Or that because this paper bead jewelry initiative is launching, that I've used my talents enough. But, God keeps pushing and encouraging me to not sit back and check out. I'm not necessarily saying I need to do more... but that I need to be obedient when I am prompted - and not bury my head under the covers or in a book. I see so many places where I drag my feet and make myself unavailable to Him. Imagine that. I make myself unavailable to my Lord and Savior...as if my life is really MY life. 

And so what if I don't cut straight or can't find my name or that when I try something new that my forehead gets all scrunched up and I look dorky with my tongue swishing around my lips.... God just wants me to honor him with the work of my hands and to be faithful with what He has given me.



Holly
5/12/2011 03:52:11 am

Awesome post, Amy. I needed to hear what God is teaching you. Makes me reflect on my own life a bit....

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