Bearing Fruit

Well, we're in the United States for awhile.  We came here to wait for baby Price number three to be born.  He's due in early April, and I convinced my OB to induce me on April 1st.  So, it's T minus 4 days till blast-off.  I am definitely ready!

While I've been sitting around, waiting for the baby to come, I've taken up reading.  Lots and lots of books.  Some fiction, just to fall asleep to.  Some non-fiction and self-help books.  One of the books that I've read that would fall into the latter category is "Loving the Little Years" by Rachel Jankovic.  In her book, she mentioned something that really helped me put some of my ministry activities into perspective.  It's the idea that God calls us to bear fruit, and after that, the rest is His job.  For instance, an apple tree that bears apples every year is a great tree, whether people come to pick those apples and eat them, or whether the apples fall to the ground and rot.  Doesn't matter, the tree did its job.  It bore apples.  In the same way, God calls us to bear fruit, regardless of the outcome.  I needed this reminder, because sometimes Haiti can be a bit of a black hole.  Many efforts, little results.

Here's an example:  Since I have had to cut back my hours at the clinic to only afternoons (because of my sweet little ones), I have taken up teaching Creole to various missionaries who were interested in learning the language to better minister to the Haitian people.  In the past year or two, I've taught Creole to 22 students.  Of those 22 missionaries, only 9 of them are still in Haiti and able to daily use anything they learned in our classes.  I was beginning to feel discouraged and wonder if I should keep up the lessons, but God reminded me that it doesn't matter what happens to the fruit... I just need to bear it.

So, as I tell my patients for the eightieth time to eat less sugar, or exercise more, or take their meds correctly;  as I teach more missionaries Creole;  as I make lessons for Children's Church and put them in the hands of the Haitian volunteer teachers.... I try to remember God's encouragement to us all as we work for Him, found in Galatians 6 verse 9:
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."