A Life in Mission

“How many villages are we passing when we go to our site?” Jon asks. We are on our way back from one of the sites we’ve been working in this week.

“Many. But these are small villages, you know.” The answer came no sooner than another question was asked-

“How many of these villages are unreached?” The question comes.

“All of them.” comes the reply. No Christian influence in countless villages scattered throughout the countryside! True even though small, the combined inhabitants make up a larger number and are just as precious to Jesus as anyone else. Why should they have no opportunity, unreached just because they are in a smaller village?

“Someone should start a primary school here” Someone else had an idea. A good idea at that. A primary school could serve the needs of a number of these small villages and give education as well as knowledge of God to those in these villages. Educating the young it would create an entering wedge into many homes already open to the gospel.

But this is not the only such idea that has come up on this trip. Starting a primary school was only one. We had also found other villages where we wanted to start evening schools. Then there were three villages where one of the Bible workers had specifically requested evening schools. And the pastors in this Region asked for media ministry… Not to mention the need for more Bible workers to follow up in these new places.

I sit. Overwhelmed. A sense of tiredness strikes me. After this last year of toil and burnout, my mind becomes terribly tired and overwhelmed when I find opportunities like this, because I know I can’t do it all. Who will help? Are we waiting for God to do something? He’s already given us the command, He’s waiting for us! Opportunities are perpetual and boundless in this place where the gospel has hardly placed it’s foot.

A local Bible worker’s salary is $60 US, a get by income for most Bible workers, but so many JFA Bible workers are working here faithfully and winning souls for Christ. So many other places need Bible workers, so many places have no Bible workers, no churches, not just Adventist churches, but no church of any Christian denomination! The people are in darkness, in ignorance, they have no knowledge of God or His love. They are clueless!

Jesus gave everything to save us. What are you willing to give to Him? Who will go to impart the knowledge and love to these precious souls? Who will send someone to them? Who will fund local workers? Who will contribute time and talents? Who? Will you? If not you, then who?

“I can’t be a missionary before I’m 25.”

“Why not?” I ask surprised. I’m talking with a younger member of our group about missions.

“Because I want to finish school and college and get a job and get married first.”

I don’t understand… so many youth in our church somehow do exactly this. And the problem is that often once they get through college and they get that good paying, secure job they want, they are tied down with debt and are unable to break free to fulfill God’s command in Mat 28.

We are too attracted to the ease and the security that the world’s way of life offers. The regular job. The nice house to live in. The car to drive every day. For many of us, our worst trouble is when we lose our job, or when the car is totaled in an accident, or when the house burns down.

But the real question is: What are we living for? Who are we living for?  Do you really want the security that the world offers? A good paying job, a nice house, good neighbors, that boat in the back yard? Sure you can still try to be a witness for God even if you have the comforts of life. But what does your experience with God really consist of? Is it just talk? or is it real?

Don’t you want to live for God? to take security under His wings? It doesn’t matter if you have a nice house, or a nice car, or live in a nice neighborhood. These things don’t matter if you want God’s security. But if you want God’s security you have to go where he asks you to go even if it’s not secure. Just think, going to an unsafe place because God asks you to go is actually the most secure and safe place to go! If God asks you to go, then He know’s its for your eternal good. You may not have a nice house, a nice car, a good paying job, or even a paying job at all, but you will learn to depend on God more, and the eternal wages will make it worth it.

Do you want to live for God? Do you want to fulfill His plan for your life? to place His wishes above your own? to place the things of this world in second place to Him and His wishes? Even though you might not have a nice house or the comforts of this life, He promises a mansion for you in heaven. Is it worth it? Is it worth it to you?

Feb 21 2013

Why does it happen? If you’re committed there’s no choice…

Masses of people fly outside the window next to my seat in the van.

We are on our way to the meetings we’ve been doing this week. Yesterday we went to a village with a  population of 500 people. This village is completely unreached! There is no church. No Bible worker. No Adventists. Not even a Christian living there! No knowledge of God. No Christian influence until last night. Last night we drove in the rough main road to the village stopping at a paved cement part of the road. Setting up right on the road, a Hindu temple provided a place for the people to sit. Probably 50 or more people came last night. Gabe shared one of Eric B Hare’s children stories first, then he followed that with a talk about the importance of water for health.

Tonight I’m on my way there again. I didn’t plan to go, it happened at the last minute. Since I’ve been here with the camera to record for a show, I’ve been a floater without an assigned team. I planned to go with another team working on the other side of town. But Gabe was feeling sick and wasn’t able to go tonight. I didn’t want to go in his place… I needed to record with the other team… but there was no one else to go to this village of 500. If I didn’t go the site would have to close for this night. If I did go, then I would miss the other team. What to do? It’s not fear of being in front of people, rather it’s inability to fill both needs. It’s not the first time I’ve been torn like this. If only I could do both… but I can’t. Why is there no one else to go? In a minute my mind was made up.

60-70 people show up tonight. One of the local brothers who came with us shared a children story. Next it was my turn. Using the little projector, I shared basics of health. Going through each of the 8 doctors of health I explained briefly about each one.

The last one came with an opportunity. I shared about my God. A God who cares about every part of our lives. A God who loves us. A God who wants to be our friend. No doubt this was all new to these people. Next a question… “How many of you want to learn more about this God?” More than 10 hands went up…

A Bible worker could work in this village if there was a sponsor… Are you willing to sponsor a Bible worker for this village or others like it? There are infinite opportunities! Or perhaps you would be willing to go and train people here, or to do meetings in these unreached places. Are you willing?

I walk down the quiet Bangkok street. Many roof covered tables sit along the sidewalk. Such diversity. Everywhere. One stand is selling meat snacks, the next one is selling bed sheets, while another is selling clothes. People are everywhere just like any big city. But this city is different…

This city is populated with 12 million people! 12 million! The percentage of Christians is just a few percent. The vast majority of these people have never even heard of Jesus name! They don’t know anything about Him! They have no knowledge of the One who gave His life for them.

In Africa I saw Christians everywhere. There were many churches all around in the towns. Many signs around the towns demonstrated a Christian foundation and knowledge of Christ. But here in Thailand there’s almost no Christian influence among the Thai people. They speak a language I can’t even understand. The letters look like scribbles to my English trained mind. It’s not even close to English. And yet, someone must reach out to them.

God doesn’t call His people to an easy work. Instead He calls us to the opposite. It’s not easy. It’s not fun and games. It requires us to get out of our comfortable zone.

I think of the group of missionary interests that I’m with. Many of them have never traveled overseas before. For many of them coming to Thailand was definitely getting out of their comfort zone. They were afraid of it. They did it anyway. Now they’ve found that getting around in a foreign Asian country isn’t that bad after all. Time to move on!

Tomorrow we go to Cambodia. Next week we go to India. Even though finances want to stop us, though our faith might fail us, forward we go. People need to hear about the Gift that Christ has give to them! Missionaries need to go… I pray that resulting from this trip, more missionaries will be sent to these places where there is No Knowledge.