Fixed Foundation

Rocks, mud, and sand have been our living reality the last 2 weeks. I am leading a Nehemiah construction team through Habitat for Humanity in the Philippines this summer. The work has been constant and challenging, for we build without many luxuries. The bricks we have helped make weigh 40 pounds each, and it takes nearly 800 bricks to build one house - we are building two side by side. The semi-flat bed truck of cement bags we unloaded were 80 pounds each, and the bags of rocks and sand we carry on our back weigh from 100-130 pounds. Half the time we are able to use a medium size concrete mixer, but the rest of the time, we mix by hand. Cutting 1/4 inch rebar and bending to make supports for the house has also been one of our many activities. Moving piles of rocks and sand can wear us out under the sun, but at last, the foundation is fixed.

Our ministry work had seemed to follow a similar course. When we first arrived in Butuan City, we had to buy supplies, adjust to the time change, and figure out what we were doing. Even as the team leader, I was not overly informed about our activities or opportunities for ministry. We would attempt to go into the neighborhood and engage the people, but with no true success. The little children could finish the bible verses we started, and trying to share Christ after a basketball game did not work the way I envisioned it. Our first Bible Study was nothing less than what I would call a train wreck, and it seemed we could do nothing right. All this time I was fighting within my mind, beginning to wonder if I was even capable of leading this team in the ministry.

We continued to fight exhaustion from our long days, and as much as I tried to encourage with God's truth about our purpose here, my stress and anxiety began to rise up again. It was now Sunday night, and I knew we had to try house to house again. Even if we were only going to lead one person to salvation, disciple one Christian, or just sow seeds without seeing the harvest, I knew we had to be faithful in proclaiming the word. My father had sent me a passage from Isiah 40 which I read over our 3 house to house teams before we went out. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youth grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on winds like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. "

The result of our obedience? We were allowed to partake in the harvest! There were 3 salvations that night, and we also found a person of peace of whom we will continue to study the Bible with him and his entire family until God leads him to salvation! We are now moving towards setting up consistent bible studies with people of peace for the hopes of salvation, and discipleship for the new believers in Christ. After we all came back, rejoicing in the Lord and sharing of our different stories, we sang a song, then lifted up our hearts to God in prayer. In 1 John 1, the author writes "We write this to make our joy complete." And that night, our joy was complete and overflowing.

Now when we wake up, we have hope. The Lord has shattered any doubt in my mind, and He has shown his eternal faithfulness, even when my faith is about to run out. Although the beginning labor was strenuous and at times discouraging, the Lord has laid a foundation for the ministry here in this Habitat Community. He is our shelter, our rock, and our firm foundation here in the storm. He is our fixed foundation. In Him, we shall never be moved.