Presence.

A struggle of mine for awhile, and that comes up with every missions trip, is being useful. How am I able to be useful and bless our hosts? How can I bless the people that I'm serving?

It's really hard for me to discern what I can do to bless others. I've been realizing  on this trip, there's nothing much I can do. I don't have any special talents, I'm not the most fluent in Japanese, and I can't offer anything spectacular to them. Yet, through meeting new friends and reuniting with old, God is teaching me the most valuable thing I can offer to them is my presence. Being present with people, listening to their stories, and getting to know them better can far outdo any sort of talent I can offer.

Simply by hanging out with friends who have been living here and hearing their insights have revealed to me a lot about what's going on in Japan, more than if I were to just send money over without truly understanding the people and God's heart for them.

This morning, I planned on going to the park nearby to do devotionals, only to find it raining profusely outside. God reminded me of Proverbs 19:21, and I feel like it's fitting for this trip. :)

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."