(This week we are featuring a guest post authored by Ledi, one of our 2022 Interns)
“Lord, here am I, use me.”
Have you ever prayed this prayer?
Many of us have prayed similar prayers, asking God to use us in whatever way He desires. I personally prayed this prayer over my summer this year, and the effects were unlike any I could have imagined. I’m so grateful God always takes what we offer Him, even when it is said with little true understanding of what we are giving.
My story after that prayer took me far away from what I considered familiar, and I am so thankful for that distance. Through His continuous provision, I traveled to Hope Haven Rwanda to serve as an intern among other young adults. As much as I would love to say that I came with a pure desire to serve, part of me was hoping for a respite from issues that plagued me in the United States.
God was so merciful to show me that my issues are a part of my need for Him and could not be lost through many hours of travel. Through the distance, though, came clarity that no conversation at home could have provided, like seeing dirty water compared to clean and realizing how filthy the first water really was.
Every group that stays here at Hope Haven has the opportunity to visit the local well. If you have ever completed what we affectionately call the “well walk,” you are probably smiling thinking of the surprising difficulty of it. For those who haven’t experienced it, let me explain the general process.
The group walks down through the community and eventually arrives at the well where many people obtain water. Then, you usually offer to help someone from the community carry water to their house. This experience highlights the sobering reality it is not easy for many people in rural Rwanda to access clean water.
One of our teachers recently joined our group for the walk. He explained that the well is a common gathering place, where families stay and talk about life and problems each can relate to. He shared how, as a child, he was responsible for getting water for his family and would often stay to play with the other kids there. The sounds of people talking and laughing together is proof that this community is alive.
Previously, many thought that the well water they collected every day was clean and good to drink. While it is relatively clean, when shown the difference between the two water sources—one through pipes running into a dirt hole, the other run through a filter—they could see how truly dirty the first source was.
Our lives follow the same principle. When God shows us a better way, only then can we comprehend the striking difference between His will and ours—one full of imperfections while the other is perfect for us. My summer travel plans could have been full of selfish adventures and denying my own need for God’s help, and they almost were. But through His grace, He showed me His better way, a more fulfilling way to spend my energy and time. Like Hebrews 13:21 says, “equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”