Signpost #5: Fighting for Hearts

Meeting and interacting with the women of PNG is what tugged at my heart the most while volunteering on the YWAM Medical Ship.   This signpost is what has lingered around the longest inside of me, even now nearly 3 months after being back in the US.  This should come as no surprise because as I look back on the last ten years, one of my most favorite jobs has been what I have begun to call "fighting for women's hearts." It started almost 10 years ago when I stood up and made the announcement about the first sorority recruitment worship gathering.  It continued as I met with college ladies in Madison.

In PNG, the women I met were solid and grounded and strong.  At first, they may be somewhat shy.  They are moms, and they are hard workers.  They typically don't finish their education due to these duties.  They are loving.  And like all of us - they long for connection.  It seemed like once you got an in - you were golden.  Sometimes getting an "in" was a little tricky as communication was often a barrier, but I tried to push through the communication barriers.  Sometimes this came in the form of being overly expressive in my facial expressions. During one class I caught a lady performing a squat mimicking not only the squat I was doing but the same facial expression I was making as well.  So funny.  

I came to PNG wanting to serve but quickly found that simply just being there was enough.   Despite my best attempts at delivering the best therapeutic exercises I could come up with, I know these fell short of meeting everyone's musculoskeletal needs.  One day I was feeling discouraged about how little I had to give these people.  At that time I was sitting by a group of women and one of the ladies brought over a palm leaf and made a basket in about 2 minutes.  She then gave it to me.  I was floored.  At that moment I realized, as most people do on these type of service trips, that I am being given so much more than I can give.  My perspective opened to the thought that just being there may just be enough.  I am the one who continues to think I can do more or what I bring is not good enough.  These ladies are unaware of the MRI machines and rehab equipment that is out there.  At that point a large wave of freedom came to my serving and my intention shifted.  I began to try to communicate with every gesture just how much value these women have.  The payment I received came in smiles and hugs, and I have never felt so rich.

Most likely the women and men that I worked with are still dealing with some of their aches and pains, but hopefully me and my team brought hope and life to these people in only a way that their prayers dreamed of...  And I pray those virtues continue to endure and be nurtured in PNG.

This post concludes my collection of signposts from my travels and service in the Oceania Region.   It took longer than I thought it would to record these moments, but I hope these signposts will continue to be woven into my life and point me to the other way of living that I learned.