Thirty two-year veterans of YWAM, Kevin & Laura Sutter divide their time between North America and North India (and many places in between). Laura serves in Member Care; Kevin coordinates Leadership Coaching internationally and is also a member of the Global Leadership Team.
Kevin reflects: Sweat got into my eyes and began to sting as we continued digging on this steamy hot tropical morning. Eventually Roberto (not his real name) and our team would complete the vegetable garden. Our goal: to develop a vegetable garden to help Roberto and his family of twelve, maintain a source of nutritious food.
Roberto had become our friend as he watched us create our own garden using the latest techniques for growing lots of vegetables on a small plot of land. It had become our “proto-type” or model which we expected to reproduce throughout needy villages.
Back in North America the Lord gave our team a vision to go to the poor using “both-hands” ministry—meeting spiritual and physical needs. Over time we came up with a very specific method for pursuing the vision. Once our planning was complete we were sent off to the jungles in a far away country.
So although it was hot and difficult, my enthusiasm was high. Roberto was the first to ask for our help. One day he too would have a vegetable garden. As I forced the shovel into the ground I asked Roberto, “Do you have a dream for the future?” Quickly he responded, “Yes Brother Kevin, I do have a dream. Someday I would like to have a cow.” I had been anticipating something on a grander scale when he continued, “Today I am only able to buy an occasional small tin of milk. It’s not enough for my ten children. I want them to have healthy, fresh milk every day. This is my dream.”
Wait a minute! Cows were nowhere in “our” plan. All this work on vegetables yet we were not moving toward Roberto’s dream. How could we help pursue his goals for a better future when we had never thought to even ask what they were?
Laura reflects: Kevin and I and our team found it was time to re-evaluate.
We talked. We prayed. Still we were convinced the overall vision was from God. He wanted us to minister like Jesus, meeting physical and spiritual needs. Looking back, however, we realised that we had caught the vision and then rushed into action with plans and methods of our own. In time we learned a better way; to build relationships with people like Roberto, to seek to discover their needs and together find God’s way of meeting the needs.
Many times when we start a project we spend a lot of time praying and thinking and planning. This is important. But after we get going it is equally important to stop and pray and think some more. Look at needs and results and ask, “Is this meeting the needs of the people? Is this bearing fruit? What could we do better?” Don’t be afraid to discard ineffective methods. Let’s learn from our mistakes. If we don’t stop for honest evaluation, we may not even realise we are making mistakes!
We all want to be fruitful for the Kingdom, to obey Jesus’ commands to the best of our ability. Stopping regularly and evaluating what we are doing is as vital as hearing from God in the first place.
No Comments so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.