Confident Humility

I wrote this entry about a month ago on my trip to China - thought I would share it here in case you missed it. 

You know the feeling when you wake up in someone else’s house and wonder, “where the heck am I” just for that split second? Well today I didn’t have that.  I woke up ready to take action, ready to serve and ready to learn.  All three of those things happened today.

One particular experience rocked my world.

The very first time we drove into the orphanage, I caught a glimpse of a young man who was walking alone across the compound.  I wondered many things in a short amount of time – Why is he alone? Why is he outside? What is he like? Does he like it here? Amazing how so many little questions can rise up so quickly.

We went about the mornings activities: learning about the facilities and programs, meeting the important staff and of course, playing with some kids.  I figured my nurse wife Julie shouldn’t be the only one in our family caring for babies, so I joined a few others to hold the infants.  When feeding time came around, that same young man I had caught a glimpse of earlier came strolling into the nursery. Without a word he picked up a baby, a bottle and started to feed like a true professional. This definitely wasn’t his first rodeo.

It was hard not to notice the young man, as his appearance was extremely unique. He had sparkling husky blue eyes and a smile that just made you want to be near him.  I could tell he was disabled but there was a confidence in him that protruded beyond anyone else there. I asked one translator about the man and learned that he was both deaf and mute. It was interesting that the only Asian I’d ever seen with bright blue eyes relied on gestures and sight to communicate.

Every so often the young man would stop into the room, play with a few children and then head out.  He looked so genuinely happy, caring and kind in all his actions that it made me desire the same type of sincerity.

A few minutes later I had made my way to another room with teen girls.  A girl in a wheelchair tinkled the ivories (play the piano) to the tune of Fur Elise. (I later found out that she is perfectly fine mentally; however, since she is bound to her chair, no multi-level school would accept her. It just so happens every school in the area is multi-levels.) She pulled me close and in terrible English said, “You. Piano.”

‘Frig,’ I thought to myself, ‘I only know AC/DC’s Thunderstruck on two fingers’.  So I played it and she loved it.

I motioned to her that I could play the guitar, not piano – and just as she started to understand the young man roamed into the room. The girl in the wheelchair waved her arms to get his attention and he came over.  Through a simple series of guitar strumming gestures followed by a point – the young man disappeared into another room and reappeared with an old blue guitar.  I started playing and shortly after I had about 5 people hanging on my back and arms wanting a chance to listen and strum a few chords themselves.

I played as they sat, watched and listened – but my focus remained on this husky blue eyed boy who was looking around seeing everyone smiling to the music.  Seeing everyone else happy gave him the same satisfaction and with another job done he left the room.

Little did he know, he was creating a new definition of servant leadership in my life.  In the most selfless, genuine, and non-flashy way, this boy completed normal tasks with a confidence and excitement that encouraged me to serve as well. Often we fall into the thinking that our methods of serving should be measurable, tangible and to put it crudely, easy to brag about.

Instead he was the type who got a guitar so someone else could listen. He helped in the feeding times when there wasn’t enough staff to handle all the babies. He did it all with a smile, and would stick around for a short while to enjoy the situation before going off to help someone else.

This is the type of man I look up to. It’s the type of confident humility that Moses, Paul and Jesus served with. I once again am thankful for the blessing to be here and look forward to my next lesson from one of these precious special people.