So as many of you know, my mind never stops. In the wake of a trip like this one it is not uncommon for me to obsess about what we did, what we didn't do, what we could do better and what was spot on. The problem is that I have been very sick for the last couple days and I haven't had too much time to think, that will change this weekend.
For me, the one of words of the trip is "unintended", as in unintended consequences and unintended benefits. Let me give you an example of this, and I will keep it positive.
Our main goal in going on this trip was to fill a major need, improved farming practices. So all of our planning and preparing was based on this goal. Never once did we ever consider side affects, positive or negitive. This probably was due to our naivete or tunnel vision, either way it wasn't good. The good thing was that the "unintended" section of this project produced something amazing. The scary part for me is that it could just as easily produced some negative fruit.
Back to the garden, so in Oditel there are many gardens and many farmers but no coops, no groups to assist in developing good farming practices, its pretty much each man or women for themselves. We never once considered creating a community, or thought about the affects of such a group. However we created community, the farmers learned what could be accomplished if they worked together. They understand now that is the truly want to advance the prosperity in their own homes and in their village they must look to most valuable resource that they have, each other.
This community was started while we were in Oditel, though I will not take any credit for it. God gets the credit, as well as the hard working pastors who help assemble a very hard working group of people. To give you an idea of how impossible this should have been, when the idea was first presented to the church a very loud laugh erupted. Questions like, why would work on the church's garden, what's in it for me....and so on. The next morning though, the proof was in the pudding, over 50 people showed up to work with us. Which was incredible but not the amazing thing, what astounded me was that by the end of the project fellow church members were leaving the church garden and going to work with each other, something that never happens. I am constantly amazed at how God works through our imperfections, this to me is a fine example of that.
The other unintended benefit of this trip was a deepening of my relationship with my bro. I simple cannot say enough about him and his amazing gifts. His ability to work with all types of people will always astound me, his has some of the most amazing talents and I would go on trip with him anytime.
Lk
Posts
