As the first light of the sun begins to peek over the Haitian horizon, activity begins to stir on the Lifeline campus in Grand Goave. The roosters have already been crowing, announcing the start of the new day.
In the shop area, masons filter in to begin preparation for a day of house building. Soon the flash of the welder’s torch is seen as workers assemble roof trusses and doors for houses.
As the sun climbs higher in the sky, the medical staff begins to arrive in the clinic. Gates are unlocked and mothers with babies begin to stream in for the nutrition programs, greeted by the nurses.
In the shoe and clothing depots faithful overseers Maltilde and Marlene open the depots to begin the day’s distribution. Campus and school administrators make their way to their offices to begin another day of ministry. Teachers in the school are at their posts as children stream through the front gate, ready for another day in the classroom. The rhythmic “whish, whish” sound of a broom breaks the early morning quiet as Francis, the yard man, faithfully sweeps the leaves off the patio near the dining hall.
By mid morning, the campus is a beehive of activity as another day of ministry is underway. Every person, every job is a key part of Lifeline’s ministry. Together this band of Haitian brothers and sisters works toward the common goal of bringing people to Jesus through their faithful, committed focus on their individual tasks. Separately they may seem small, even insignificant. But through God’s power His kingdom is built through their collective effort.
I’ve seen this played out many times while in Haiti to lead teams. Paul’s words from Romans 12:4 & 5 come to mind, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Every member of the body of Christ, the church, brings a unique contribution to the overall focus and progress of the church. None of us are more important than the other. Each of us has a different but equally necessary role to play that when combined with others faithfully fulfilling their roles honors Christ, strengthens the church, and ultimately will be used by God to bring others to him.
Whatever role God has given to you, play it with faithfulness, excellence and with an eye toward what is best for the Kingdom. The opening lines of Romans 12 reveals the attitude we should have in this, “Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”
When each of us places ourselves on the altar of sacrifice before God by putting our agenda aside to join with others in ministry, God is honored and the church is effective in bringing people to Christ.
Praises
