Missionary Training Institute (MTI) last week initiated a big soccer game I thought to myself, "Oh, no... I stink and now everyone else will know it!" But I didn't want to let them down so we split into teams and the game began!(The teens (Missionary Kids "MKs") at MTI -->)
I was a tad bit reluctant at first, content to cheer on my team, play defense/hide when the ball came my way. After a few minutes I realized I was too scared of looking stupid to even try. AND the very thing I feared most- looking like a terrible player- was coming true bc I was holding back! So I had a decision to make; to continue to let the ball pass or really engage in the game and risk messing it up. I decided to give it my all. Even if that meant looking like a fool/ messing up passes or missing goals (which I did). But I also ended up assisting & scoring some sweet goals (totally thanks to my awesome team)!!
As we played I felt a wall breaking down. I realized that I didn't need to be bend it like Beckham, but be willing to put myself out there and it was soo fun! I'm beginning to see some parallels between the soccer and the mission field. It would be so easy to go to NZ and let fear of rejection or embarrassment over take me and not really put myself out there. But I really wanna engage in the culture and people in New Zealand, even if that means exposing my weaknesses or embarrassing myself like in the soccer game. But, hey, I think by putting myself out there I will be able (with the help of God and my team) in the end to engage, break down walls, and score some goals!
(This was us, the "winning team," my first full soccer game I ever played last week- EPIC. For security reasons, I had to darken a face. )**As a sidenote I would like to say that I was on defense for a while and I was trying to be beastly and strong and I still have part of a pentagon imprinted on my calf from a sweet block, ha!
