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| Source: http://franthony.com |
Psalm
40:2
(NIV)
“He lifted me out of the
slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to
stand.”
Day three
in Haiti was the start of our work week. We had heard bits and pieces about the
projects we would be doing for Heartline Ministries – cleaning and painting
several buildings on the land they owned to make way for a bakery and maternity
center, digging a gigantic hole for a septic tank, mixing cement, roofing,
laying tile in the bakery’s cafe, fixing and refinishing signage, and
completing electrical work for the bakery.
“Put us in
the hole,” my friend and I requested of the group leader. Gary looked at us
like we were crazy. “Come on. We came to do the hard work. You won’t be
disappointed,” I pleaded. He agreed … and then picked four other strong guys
and himself to help us. Now, there was an act of confidence!
When we
arrived on site, we grabbed our shovels and pickaxes and headed to the front of
the property. The hole had already been started by previous volunteer laborers.
It measured 10 feet x 10 feet and was already seven feet deep. “How far do we need
to go down?” someone asked hesitantly. (That may have been me.) The answer was
four more feet down throughout the entire hole and square off the corners.
The ladder
was set into the hole, and we climbed down. The first obstacle I encountered
was the baby tarantula. I wish I was joking. The second challenge was the
rock-laced hard dirt. Oh, and there was also the humidity and heat. Yet, we
pushed on. About two hours into the dig, we had a pretty good system
established – two diggers, two people breaking up the dirt and rocks with
pickaxes, one brave soul throwing the plastic buckets that we filled up out of
the hole like a shot put toss, and a couple people using wheelbarrows to haul
it away. (Yes, we tried a pulley system, but that just didn't work.) I kept on
digging.
Before
long, I was caked in sweat, dirt, sunscreen, bug spray, and one more thing –
joy. Let me tell you what hard labor in service to others and in Christ’s name
can do…
In the
hole, I found the kind of selfless teamwork I had not experienced anywhere else
in my life.
In the
hole, I found motivating comrades in people I had met just the previous day.
In the
hole, I found unexpected satisfaction in the hard, back-crunching work that
makes you think you really can tell a mountain to jump … and it does.
In the
hole, I found a love for others that can only come from being the hands and
feet of Jesus.
In the
hole, I found abandoned hearts for a common goal – one aligned with the vision
of our Mighty Creator.
In the
hole, I found out how God can lift us all up out of any of our dirt-filled
holes and set our feet on solid ground. “He lifted me out of the
slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to
stand.”
In the hole,
I found:
Grace … and
perseverance,
Mercy … and
humility,
Gentleness
… and strength,
Kindness …
and leadership,
Self-control
… and self-sacrifice,
And yes –
joy.
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| Source: Photo of "The Hole" |
That joy
was magnified as we finished digging the hole at lunchtime on the third day and
moved on to our next project. But, that is for a later time…
I don’t think I was alone in my appreciation for the hard work that being “in the hole” demanded. Every one of us who was on this project had no intention of relinquishing it to anyone else. It became “our work.” I am sure the other members in the group felt the same way about their own projects. There was a sense of ownership in wanting to see a big project through to the end. We affectionately, and not so creatively, named it “The Hole.”
In what hole have you found yourself recently? On the surface, your hole may seem slimy, uncomfortable, dirty, or painful. However, what are you learning in the hole? How is God showing Himself to you? Are you growing spiritually while in your hole? Might it even be worth it?
Being “in
the hole” meant something to us. Serving the people of Haiti by digging a
massive crater for a septic tank does not sound very romantic or inspiring. I
can tell you it was every bit of those two things because I knew there was a
vision for this place that went beyond dirt, shovels, spiders, and hundreds of
water bottle refills. I knew that one day soon some of the people who call
Haiti their home would find jobs, bake and break bread together, and have their
precious babies in a safe environment for many years to come.
That, my friends, is a
vision worth digging for.
“Lose
sight to gain vision.” – John McHoul, Heartline Ministries
Prayer – Lord, thank You for allowing me the opportunity to serve in Haiti in Your name. Thank You for a group of amazing people to work with and learn from. I hope others will benefit from our hard work and come to find peace and love in knowing You through our service. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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