Set Free

Set free: Verb; liberate: grant freedom to

           In order to be set free, one must first be bound to something that they themselves cannot get out of.  Second Peter 2:19 says, "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him."  Most people are slaves to sin without even knowing it. Frankly, if you are not a slave to Christ, then you are a slave to sin. Jesus says that the truth will set you free. If Jesus is truth, which He says He is in John 14:6, then Jesus Himself sets us free. Ironically we find freedom in Christ when we become His slave. Most people might think that Christianity is all about freedom, which is it, but we first must become slaves to the One who is freedom. When we think of slaves, we think of someone who is treated unfairly, abused, alone. In reality, the term slave means that you are not your own, someone else owns you, you have a master. Following Christ and being a Christian is the latter of the two. I am not my own, I have a Master, I am a slave. You either unconsciously choose slavery to sin or consciously choose slavery to Christ.
           Paul is a perfect example of a slave of Christ. He knew he was not his own, he constantly found himself in prison because of Christ. Paul says in Ephesians 3:1, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-". Paul is in a Roman prison, yet knows full well that he is not a prisoner of the Romans but of Christ. Following Christ is also daily dying to ourselves, it's everyday saying, "I give up. Take control." We are told in Luke 9:23, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me." We are told to carry our own crosses, our own desires. There is absolutely, no matter how you try it, an easy way to carry a cross.  It's giving up control, dying to yourself. Come and die sort of thing. THAT is Christianity. Asking Christ to set you free from the chains of sin and to be bound to Him. 
             He sets the captives free, even if you are oblivious to your captivity. It is only through becoming a slave of Christ that we finally find freedom. I am a slave of Jesus Christ, not my own, I have no control over my life, He is my Master.


Lauren

Lately..

        For the past four weeks we have been in the city, due to safety and other reasons. Though different than spending three days a week in the village, we have been able to do some new things. We have been going to lots of primary and secondary schools and every Thursday we have had the privilege of teaching English to primary school students. Most of us, including me, have our own classroom. I have P5, which is between 11-13 year olds. The school system here is completely different than in America. The children here have to pay to attend school. It is almost like a "pay as you go" concept. There are three terms in a school year and each term cost around $25-$50. Kids who cannot afford a term, don't go for that term and if they have money for the next term, than they can go.
       I loosely use the term "classroom" because it is nothing like an American school's classroom. Their classrooms are small, have a tin roof and siding of some wood,cardboard and anything else that can fill holes. The classrooms are dark, dirty and so close together and only separated by cardboard and wood that I have to yell over the other classrooms for my students to hear me. But I absolutely love it. Even when it's raining and I am writing on the chalk board and I am getting wet, I love it. I have about 12 kids in my class who are so eager to learn. They do not take education for granted because they have to pay their way through. When I enter the classroom they all stand until I tell them that they may be seated and when they ask a question they stand. They are so polite and well behaved. I have been teaching them elements of a story, comprehension, sentence structures, adverbs, and parts of a car (random right?).  Today was my last time teaching them because next week they are having an exam on everything they have learned these past four weeks, and then I leave that Saturday night.
        I can't believe I only have 9 days left here. From here I am going to California to visit friends for 5 days and then I will finally be home. I am so torn. I want to stay, but then again I want to come home. It's really hard to have your heart in 2 different places.

The science teacher teaching my class

My class!

What I teach from

All In

Two and a half weeks. 16 days to be exact, until I leave this amazing country. These past ten weeks have been incredible. Even though I am working with the same organization, this trip was so different. God has taught me some tough lessons. One of them being that I cannot do what I am doing on my own strength. At all. Not even a little bit. One of the many, and I mean many, books I read during these last 10 weeks was Secondhand Jesus by Glenn Packiam . Here is a quote from the book:

"Regardless of our culture, story, or religion, there seems to be something in all of us that makes us want to be better people. If goodness is the common goal of religion, then progress is the common pursuit of humanity. Every new year is a new chance to renew our vows to lose weight, spend more time with our families, go to church more regularly, give more money to good causes, and watch less TV. That is not a bad impulse. It probably is some evidence of the imago Dei in us. We are made in God’s image and want to do Godlike things. The problem comes not in desiring to do such things but in believing that we are capable of those things."



What he talks about in his book is that it is impossible for us to do any good apart from Christ. We may desire those things, but unless we are dependent on Christ, nothing we do is "good". Even doing mission work in Africa. I realized that I was starting to become weary and just burnt out, going through the motions when it hit me. I have been doing this on my own. That is why I am so exhausted and worn out. Us girls just got done studying the book of Galatians. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap,  f if we do not give up." I was becoming weary and it definitely affected my attitude and outlook. A popular misconception is that out in the mission field, your relationship with God is at it's best. That can be  true, however for me it is a constant struggle to keep up with my end of the relationship. Satan is continually throwing things at me that get me distracted and keep my eyes off of Christ. The best and worst times in my relationship with Him have been when I am in the mission field. You are either fully dependent, or thinking you are capable of this on your own. Either all in, or nothing at all. There is no in between.

If there is anything that I can't stress enough, it is that if you are a follower of Christ than you need to be all in. Completely dependent. Sold out Jesus freak. Whatever your word for it is. I will post another blog in a few days of what I have been doing lately, but for now I just wanted to be honest with you guys and let you know what challenges I have been facing and overcoming while here.

Lauren