Why am I here? This is the question that I spent all of last week asking myself. Yes I did know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord had called me here, and that he had even given me verses speaking to the fact that I should be here, but I was still struggling with why.
I have always been the kind of person who deeply desires and loves to be in and doing ministry, but when I would go to my schools and encounter problems and situations that are hard to deal with, such as teachers that seemed like they didn't want me there and the kids that seem like they aren't listening, and the list just goes on and on.
As I was thinking about these things, and yes I must confess maybe even feeling a little bit sorry for myself, I asked the Lord why he hadn't provided any ministry for me, after all that was my whole purpose for coming here right?
I realized that no that wasn't exactly the reason for my coming, the reason was actually serving the King car foundation as well as the government of Taiwan. I then began to complain inwardly and think, man if these are the only reasons, then I might as well go home right now. A little bit later, I went over to the school to hit some baseballs, thinking that perhaps the fact that I was hitting something might make me feel a little better.
Just as I was getting started, to little boys came up and asked if they could play with me, at least I think that's what they said judging from the fact that they took my bat away from me and handed me the ball. As we played together, I noticed how happy they seemed to be and also how content they were to be spending time the big American guy. As I watched the joy on the faces of those kids, the Lord seemed to be saying to me, this is why you're here, to play with them when they have nobody else to play with, to wave at them and say hi when they greet me on the street, to sit and wrestle with them when they come over to the house to visit. In other words to Love them, but not simply to love them, but to be a tool to lead them to the author of love.
So the next time someone asks me Why I am here, of course I will tell them to teach English, but I will also tell them about all these kids, and of the love that god has put in my heart for them.
That is the reason that I am here.
Anthony, in Jiji
