Join an Impact team member as they reflect on understanding local culture, discovering the thrill of wave diving on the beach with teammates, and finally letting go of work and school back home to be fully present in the moment.
We spent the day getting to understand the culture of the community. But honestly, I didn’t want to stop working. There was so much work that I could just keep on doing. But when I look back, I realize that God was being glorified just as much in my day of rest as he was in my days of service.
Most of the people needed so much, but there was never a complaint, never a “woe is me” attitude. Everyone was praising God for their life, and they were full of joy. Even though, for a lot of them, everything was in shambles.
My impact moment was when we had some time to spend on the beach. The ocean waves were just so amazing, and a friend of mine on our team told me about wave diving. So I got to try it out, and it was overwhelming. Being completely overpowered by the water was too much fun. That was my moment.
When I look back on how much fun I was having, I realized that I forgot about home. It was the first time I was able to let go of my school and work, and just be present in the moment. It was a moment of revelation, but a moment of liberty. That moment of letting my life at home go set the tone for the rest of the day. I plan on bringing that tone with me when I spend some more time with the community at church tomorrow and wherever I go. To set a week, a day, an hour, or a minute aside to serve God means to leave everything else behind and be present.
