I can see the top from here, I think to myself. Racing up the boulder strewn slope, hand over hand, I try to follow the red trail markers and keep from slipping. Lurching from one stone to the other the tin cups in my backpack “tink” “tink” against each other and my excitement grows. I smile because they remind me of the miniature stove, the pot, and the gallon of spiced cider stowed away next to them. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when the team reaches the top and I am already there to greet them with a steaming pot of hot spice cider. It is a brisk October Saturday afternoon and I know that the sweat from the climb will turn to a chill once we reach the cool winds at the top; that hot cider is really going to score me some points. I know they are going to think I am great.
Our team had church together the next morning. Amidst the scones, hot coffee, warm cappuccino-chocolate-chip muffins (my favorite), and scrambled eggs, we listened, as a community, to what God is telling us through Philippians 2:1-11. I, along with the rest of the team, wrote out the scripture by hand, then rewrote it in my own words (to practice telling others the meaning of the scripture), and came up with ‘I will’ statements that stem from the text. I munched down on a warm buttered cappuccino-chocolate-chip muffin and rewrote out the section that goes,
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3
That verse haunted me with the memory of my intent the day before. I had served with selfish ambition. I raced to the top not so that others would be blessed but so that I would be lifted up. “But this was such a small insignificant case,” I was tempted to think. After getting more coffee, I wrote down in my ‘I will’ statements section, “I will serve others not out of a desire for them to view me as better, but I will in my mind consider them better than myself.” Even though this felt insignificant in the big picture, it was a helpful reminder to me that serving must to come from both my actions and motives.
As we make preparations to move to Tanzania and serve there I find myself collecting little truths like this in hopes that they will shape the way I act and live in Makonde land. If you have any thoughts or other nuggets of truth you have found along your way we would love for you to share them with us. Feel free to comment or email us those little truths that shape the way you live. Every bit helps!
Caleb M.
Cappuccino (chocolate chip) Muffins:
2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp espresso coffee powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients. Form a well in center and add liquid ingredients til moist. Pour into well-greased muffin pan.
Makes 12 regular size muffins.
Makonde Team 
Caleb,
Thanks for sharing this experience. I appreciate your heart a lot. Of course, I know you didn’t write this to get good comments, right :).
Anyway, I’m so grateful for you guys and for your team. We are so excited for what we see God doing in you guys and what we know He will do through you guys. I feel like as a missionary, I’m learning a whole lot more than I’m teaching – this is true now that I’m just learning the language and stuff, but I think this will probably always be the case. I’m really excited to see how God is going to use you, your new family, and your team for His glory. May the Lord bless all of you! We love you guys!