Although we believe that God has sent us here to operate a mission guest house, this is not the only task. The call is there and we are waiting patiently for His lead. It’s like a pie graph to me. 75% of the pie is all one color. The guest house is first, foremost, and what God has trained us to do. As easy as pie…so to speak. The talent has been given and waits to flourish. Mike and I are so ready to “get on with it”. But for some reason God has emphatically, in many words, over in abundance, LOUDLY and demanding almost said "REST".
"But we're not tired" we pray in protest.
"Rest and wait" are the orders. OK. Fine.
Month One: Many miles walking on the beach in prayer and worship. Some guilt arises for we feel the waste of time. The Proverbial Scriptures come to mind about laziness, non-prosper, sleeping, slumber, not eating, start plaguing us from the enemy. But our God knows us better than that. But still, "Be still."
Month Two: Lets try to move ahead on a purchase of "something" at least. Sure we found "something", of course, but is it His will? Not quite. "ARGH! What are we doing here when we are doing nothing?"
What we didn't see was the relationships we were building with the mission groups. Didn't see that the communion with His body was with love, grace. A shoulder here, an ear there, words of encouragment and advise...just "hangin" with them.
"OK, Lord you have a point. We need to get to know them as brother's and sister's in Christ and they need to know we will be there for them. How could we possibly think we are a "Missionary Service" if we didn't know what "service" to perform?"
Month Three: Spanish Lessons...getting to know our surroundings, couple of road trips exploring.
"See the People. Who are they? What makes them tick?" comes to us.
Our prayers changed from, "God show us what to do with getting this plan on the ground" to "What can we do to help others?" So we tagged along with some mission groups. A feeding program here, painting schools and clinics there...painting, painting. And you guessed it, more painting. Then the phone started to ring. "We could use your help." We consulted our filled up day timer...yeah right!
We're involved with church planting (Spanish and English). We've helped run 2 medical clinics in two villages for a few weeks while the Mission couple went back to the US to rest and take care of elderly family. We will be keeping a feeding program afloat while that other couple go home to Canada on furlough. We've been building a relationship with one young man who graduated from High School and we are currently helping him to qualify for a scholarship to go to University. The scholarships are available through another Mission group in the area. I guess just doing what God drops on your doorstep is all you really have to do to make a missions life matter. I'm reminded of some lyrics from an older Amy Grant song: "All I ever have to be is what You made me, any more or less would be a step out of Your Plan. As you daily recreate me help me always keep in mind, that I only have to do what I can find."
Do you remember the pie graph? We have 75% taken care of with His provision and the talent He gave us. But what about the extra 25% of the pie? What is this allotted too? How about learning the mission field itself. What the missionaries go through everyday. Who they pour out God's love to without restriction. Learning how to service these same missionaries according to what battlefield they were on as they eat their dinner and share their testamonies of the day. To know exactly what they went through and how to respond to them with dessert, love and actual true empathy after their hard day. 
We could've never began to learn this being on a building site all day watching the guest house evolve. We would've never gotten to know the heart of these devoted people or the ones whom they serve. We would've been caught up with a house, finances and business related issues to ever give a second thought to the actual humanity of it all. Utterly useless as we serve their coffee after dinner to really understand what they've just been through.
Yes, 75% is taken care of. But right now, God is more concerned with the 25%. In our seeing, learning and understanding completely the people we are here to serve. God knows we will have success when He releases the guest house. Understanding, empathy, compassion, love. This is not business, its humanity. Learning the new talents God is teaching us.
Be blessed and thanks for listening. Laura