Insight

Ok, so I've realized that I need to update this blog more often.  There has been much that I have wanted to share here as I prepare for the trip but haven't taken the time to write down.  My apologies.

As a team, those of us going to Ethiopia, have been reading a book on short term missions together.  I've really enjoyed it so far and I strongly believe that anyone going on a short term missions trip should invest in it.  The title is 'Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short Term Missions'.  This book has given a lot of insight to the proper model for these types of trips.

While exploring the first few chapters one point that they emphasized is that God will use us as we are for His glory.  During the first chapter the author tells the story of going on a trip to southern Florida with his family.  I will paraphrase:  He and his son were going door to door distributing food and clothing and telling people about the services of the Good Samaritan Mission.  He didn't notice the spray paint on the trailer with the words "Latin Kings" until after his 10 year old son had knocked on the door and four muscular men with scowls, suspicious looks, holding something behind their backs answered.  Ok, I'm just going to quote it to really get the point across:  "'Hola,' I said, at the precise moment I realized this was the Latin King gangs headquarters.  Tristan stood in front of me.  My hands on his shoulders tensed; I wanted to pull him back and run.  Tristan, unaware, began telling them in Spanish why we were there.  They brightened and smiled at the sound of his sweet and natural Spanish.  One gang member came outside with us and Tristan asked if he would like to hear the gospel presentation we had brought with us.  "Si," he said and sat down in the dust.  As I heard the gospel presented with a child's cadence to a Latin King gang member I listened to something bigger going on: Tristan looked so small and feeble next to the large gang member; but "a little child shall lead them" was God's wisdom, not mine.  Later on when we brought that man to our church service that night I was not surprised when he gave his life to Christ.  I've found over time that when we risk - our pride, our time, our money, even our very lives - God works, no matter how childlike we look."

I know that was a long story to type out and read, so I give you props if you're still with me.. but I loved that story.  I love that it illustrates the reminder that God's ways aren't our ways, and He isn't limited in how He will use us.  I'm sure that the father in that story never would have guessed that his 10 year old son would be the vessel God chose to bring a Latin Kings gang member to himself.

It amazes me to think that God is using me in ways that I cannot even fathom and would never have expected.  There are expectations on trips like this of how God will work.  What I am looking forward to most is the unexpected way He will use me.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
~ Galatians 2:20