Niagara Falls, Post Mortem: Planting a Seed

One of my favorite take-away messages from the mission trip "club" (evening worship) was that of the parable of the mustard seed. In this familiar parable, Jesus tells us:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” - Matthew 13:31-32

They related this parable to our week at this mission trip experience, reminding us that what we did throughout the week may seem small, but days, weeks or months after that small act, that small deed may turn into something big and amazing. Each of us worked in our own way to help improve the community. Some of us pulled weeds. (So many weeds!) That may not, on the surface, seem like something that's going to last long, after all, they're weeds, growing back is what they do! But maybe by pulling the weeds, a potential donor was so impressed with the church we were serving, and the job that was being done to run it, that they decided to give, or get involved.

Some of us painted, and paint fades. Some of us played with kids, and kids forget. Some repaired fences and painted and painted some more. These are all temporary things, but the effect that they may have on that community may last years, or decades, or generations.

Mission trips are a funny thing. We go in, not knowing at all what we'll be doing for the week. We don't know the people were working with, and sometimes, we don't even know why were doing it. It's all so intense, and at the time it can feel like the week drags on forever, but then it's over. We go home, never to see most of the people that we were with all week ever again. You get home and you reflect on the time you spent there, not knowing if what you did made a difference, but you have to trust that God has nurtured the seed that you have planted. That God will cause that effort to bloom and to continue to bless the community that you have served and us! 

We can't forget the seed that was planted in us! Who learned that they were more than capable with a hammer? Who learned that they were good at conflict resolution? Who found a strength inside of them that they didn't know they had? So we must continue to nurture the seeds! Praise God! May it indeed be so.

Rob