For almost my entire life, I’ve wrestled with the idea of “making a difference.” I’m constantly asking myself whether what I’m doing is really having a positive impact on the world around me. It’s something that motivates me, but also confuses and discourages me at times. And it’s a struggle that has become more and more real during my time living and serving in Ecuador. Time and time again, I’ve knelt before the Lord and asked Him, “Am I making a difference? What does ‘making a difference’ mean to You, Jesus?”
The answer I receive challenges me and realigns me with the kind and humble heart of Christ. Making a real difference in this world is simple: knowing Jesus and making Him known. And many times, this happens through the small moments and little details … which, over time, turn into radical change.
For example, 10 years ago, the women working in prostitution that we serve wouldn’t even talk to our team when they visited them during outreach. They refused to have conversations, didn’t want to listen to anything we had to say, and would even leave so they wouldn’t have to interact with our team. But my coworkers didn’t give up. They kept visiting these beloved women in the plazas and sharing the love of Jesus with them through both word and action—week after week, month after month, and year after year. Because of that, today the they not only talk with us and listen to us when we visit them and share a Bible verse during outreach, but we are also discipling more than 30 of them. Together, we are getting to know Jesus more as we study God’s Word and explore the steps each woman can take toward a better future for herself and her family. If that isn’t a real difference, I don’t know what is.
It’s hard but rewarding to be part of the Lord’s work, one day at a time. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do it, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.