God Is Already There- One Less Thing To Pack!

Many great insights were passed on to the 50 YAGMs during our Orientation in Chicago at the end of August. Advice, discussions, counsel, and poignant theology made our week with presenters, alumni, and Global Mission personnel such a worthwhile week. A week for which now, a month into my experience, I’m so grateful. I’d like to share a story of how one such piece of insight has slapped me on the face as I experienced its relevance this week in England.

There are a variety of misconceptions about mission work. We discussed many of these notions at orientation as a way to dissect what it is we are (and aren’t) doing this year as Young Adults in Global Mission. One misconception may be that it is a missionary's job to take God with them to an area that doesn’t have God already.
Like- “Hello (different area of the world)!! America is here! Surprise!!! And look who I brought with me??…..Jesssuuuuus!!!” “Awe…..you…shouldn’t have…??”
Surely I was to pack a good pair of walking shoes…..some pictures…a durable coat…ranch dressing…..a bible……did I forget the big man upstairs??

Joking aside, the point of our discussion was to realize our aim is not to bring God with us; rather we are sent out to discover how God is already there and at work.
The congregation at St. Peter’s in London Colney did not need Marta the happy American missionary to bring Jesus. My experience attending worship this Sunday made that clearly evident.

Ya know that type of energy that keeps you anxiously excited while nervously inhabiting the pit of your stomach? That energy that creeps up before interviews, auditions, when getting lost, and when you know you’ve done something completely stupid and wrong that needs fixing…? I had that energy going to church on Sunday morning by myself. Am I dressed appropriately? Will they be able to peg me as an outsider? Would I be able to follow directions and actually find the church? Will my attempt at finding a happy Protestant counterpart to SPEC go awry?
Because this placement/community/country sometimes feels similar to home, those moments that remind me that I’m far from home sneak up and, well, produce that nervous “audition energy”.

Fortunately, I got to St. Peter’s early and had some time to survey my surroundings. There were happy over-involved church ladies in the back greeting me. (“Isn’t that speeecial??”) There were only a few others sitting in the 15-20 pews of the small congregation. There was an overly-welcoming and carefully designed and detailed bulletin. There were hymns I knew and loved. From there I can’t count how many times throughout that morning I thought to myself, “Awe….bless their hearts!!” (In true Sue Diehm fashion…thanks mom.) As 10am drew closer, in came the babies. Lots and lots of babies. I was a minority not because I was American but because I didn’t have a 0-3 yr. old on my hip. At about 9:55am, I looked down to my left and found a little toddler friend taking up occupancy next to me in the pew. She looked up at me with big beautiful blue eyes and I nearly teared up. Little sis proceeded to spit her pacifier onto the floor later picking it up to give to me. Before I could graciously grab it, her apologetic mother (who looked like Helen Hunt) came and whisked her away back to their pew a few rows back.

There service was lovingly and awesomely disheveled. Their female pastor doubles as an organist and the rest of the music is on a backing track controlled by a chap in the balcony. Babies crying and crawling and many other little incidents that made me giggle inside. The final anthem was Shine Jesus Shine; complete with a cheesy contemporary Christian backing track and a box of instruments for the children of the congregation to play. I had held back most of my tears throughout the service, but kids playing instruments is where I draw the line. I took it all in and happily cried as the 2 year old in front of me shook his upside down maraca with his chubby little fist.

As I witnessed a little baby named Ava being baptized; as I was invited to the Lord’s Supper for the first time since being here; as I was affectionately sought out after church by two women delighted to see a new SPEC face, it dawned on me. Beyond the ministry at SPEC, it was here at St. Peter’s that I discovered God already at work in the UK. Not because I’m equipped with more tools, wisdom, or faith than anyone I encounter this year. Not because of my own personal decisions or feelings in the pit of my stomach. Not because I brought God in a big ole package with a bow on top. But rather because he brought me here to discover, discern, learn, relate and love.

Another tidbit I will always remember from orientation strikes me as I reflect on St. Peter’s: “The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot protect you.” Thanks be to God for the love and grace I nervously stumbled upon at St. Peter’s on Sunday! I have been so enriched in so many ways this past month. I look forward to all the things God will continue to have in store for me during this Global Mission year and beyond.