...until I am on my way to Damascus, Syria.
On April 23rd, a team of 11 - myself included - will be heading to Damascus, Syria for God's glory. This trip is what most would call, a "mission trip" - to bring Iraqi refugees in Syria the gospel of Christ, show His love, be His hands and feet, and to bring them hope in Jesus.
This will actually be my second "mission trip" experience. My first mission trip was to Kampong Thom, Cambodia to work with about 60 orphans by teaching them English and also teaching them about the love of Christ. I could talk about Cambodia for hours and how God moved in our team, what He is doing in Cambodia, and even more so what God did in my own life through the small children in Cambodia.
If you've never been on an international mission, I highly recommend it - but be sure to pray about God showing you which mission, as well as where and when you should go. Truth of the matter is, we are called to go. We are called by God to go to the nations and spread His name, this is non-negotiable.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20, NIV
With this in mind, one must realize we are on a mission field every minute of every day. We are called to love the unlovable, the ungrateful, the prideful; in short - we are called to love sinners. God loves the sinner, and I'm pretty glad He does because I am definitely a sinner. The beauty of God's love is that it knows no boundaries, and His love is all around us.
When going to the mission field there may be doubt in one's mind about the ability to be effective or useful - I can tell you I have shared this doubt in my own experience. I would often think to myself, "God, these people have been through so much - and I truly have nothing to complain about, how could you possibly use me?" And God, being the amazing God He is, not only uses me - but blesses me in the process. Remarkable. What a faithful God!
I once heard a quote, "It is easier to evangelize to someone who has nothing than to someone who has already been provided for..." I find this quote to be true. In the developed world, we become spoiled on what we have. However, I find that the developed world has just as many people who are "lost" as there are in the 3rd world. God is a provider, and people who have nothing see more of a reason to need Him - and to give back to Him. Isn't it ironic that some of the most under developed states/nations are often the ones who statistically give God the most? What we need to realize is that God is not only a provider of what we need to live, but He is also a faithful provider of peace, patience, love, kindness, compassion, and joy. On the mission field, God uses us to teach the developed and the under developed worlds about how faithful of a provider He really is.
I've learned that missions have nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing. Missions have everything to do with God. I refuse to believe in myself on the mission field (which is everywhere we go), but I will believe in Him who is in me. Everywhere we go, God has the ability to sow seeds of His word through us, using us for His glory. And being used by God is such a humbling and incredible experience. Think about it, the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Amazing Almighty - is using me and you, to spread His love and His word. Wow.
For some reason, God has chosen the 11 of us to serve Him in Damascus, Syria in 3 weeks. We will be working with approximately 120-150 Iraqi refugees. These people have experienced unspeakable torture at the hands of Islamic terrorists, have lost family members, lost their homes, and have been left completely broken. We will be there to let God counsel them through us, to let God love them through us, and to give them a hope in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We will pray with them; cry with them; teach them; talk with them; hurt with them; comfort with them; just as we hope to bring them laughter, joy, smiles, hugs, friendship, love, care, compassion, encouragement, trust, and most of all - Jesus.
I humbly ask you to pray for our team, by name - Lauren Hanks, Kristin Patten, Marianne Henry, Carolyn Schroer, Graham Horton, Russell Hodges, Bill Dampier, Marcos Leon, Adam Krazer, Joun Samara, and John Card. Please pray that God's light will shine through us at every opportunity - on the airplane, at the airport, walking around the city, with the Iraqi refugees - that every moment be used to glorify Him. I deeply thank you in advance for these prayers, as I cannot even tell you how much prayer means to me.
Likewise, I encourage you to get in prayer with God about your own mission experiences. Ask Him to show you how He is using you where you are, and how He can use you more. You can also ask the Lord to speak to your heart about missions and if there is somewhere He is directing you to go for Him, and not for you. God is doing amazing work in this world, and we can all be used by Him - just ask Him, and He will show you. Be prepared for how He will answer you, His call may not always align with your own ideas. This is beauty of giving up your own desires to replace them with God's desires. God's desires will always refine us to be more like Him, and that is to be our ultimate goal. A life pleasing to God blesses us and everyone around us in return.
You can mission - anywhere at anytime - go out and have the kind of faith to live dangerously for the Kingdom of God. You can do it, I believe in Him who is in YOU! I'm praying for you!
<><
Kay
On April 23rd, a team of 11 - myself included - will be heading to Damascus, Syria for God's glory. This trip is what most would call, a "mission trip" - to bring Iraqi refugees in Syria the gospel of Christ, show His love, be His hands and feet, and to bring them hope in Jesus.
This will actually be my second "mission trip" experience. My first mission trip was to Kampong Thom, Cambodia to work with about 60 orphans by teaching them English and also teaching them about the love of Christ. I could talk about Cambodia for hours and how God moved in our team, what He is doing in Cambodia, and even more so what God did in my own life through the small children in Cambodia.
If you've never been on an international mission, I highly recommend it - but be sure to pray about God showing you which mission, as well as where and when you should go. Truth of the matter is, we are called to go. We are called by God to go to the nations and spread His name, this is non-negotiable.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20, NIV
With this in mind, one must realize we are on a mission field every minute of every day. We are called to love the unlovable, the ungrateful, the prideful; in short - we are called to love sinners. God loves the sinner, and I'm pretty glad He does because I am definitely a sinner. The beauty of God's love is that it knows no boundaries, and His love is all around us.
When going to the mission field there may be doubt in one's mind about the ability to be effective or useful - I can tell you I have shared this doubt in my own experience. I would often think to myself, "God, these people have been through so much - and I truly have nothing to complain about, how could you possibly use me?" And God, being the amazing God He is, not only uses me - but blesses me in the process. Remarkable. What a faithful God!
I once heard a quote, "It is easier to evangelize to someone who has nothing than to someone who has already been provided for..." I find this quote to be true. In the developed world, we become spoiled on what we have. However, I find that the developed world has just as many people who are "lost" as there are in the 3rd world. God is a provider, and people who have nothing see more of a reason to need Him - and to give back to Him. Isn't it ironic that some of the most under developed states/nations are often the ones who statistically give God the most? What we need to realize is that God is not only a provider of what we need to live, but He is also a faithful provider of peace, patience, love, kindness, compassion, and joy. On the mission field, God uses us to teach the developed and the under developed worlds about how faithful of a provider He really is.
I've learned that missions have nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing. Missions have everything to do with God. I refuse to believe in myself on the mission field (which is everywhere we go), but I will believe in Him who is in me. Everywhere we go, God has the ability to sow seeds of His word through us, using us for His glory. And being used by God is such a humbling and incredible experience. Think about it, the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Amazing Almighty - is using me and you, to spread His love and His word. Wow.
For some reason, God has chosen the 11 of us to serve Him in Damascus, Syria in 3 weeks. We will be working with approximately 120-150 Iraqi refugees. These people have experienced unspeakable torture at the hands of Islamic terrorists, have lost family members, lost their homes, and have been left completely broken. We will be there to let God counsel them through us, to let God love them through us, and to give them a hope in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We will pray with them; cry with them; teach them; talk with them; hurt with them; comfort with them; just as we hope to bring them laughter, joy, smiles, hugs, friendship, love, care, compassion, encouragement, trust, and most of all - Jesus.
I humbly ask you to pray for our team, by name - Lauren Hanks, Kristin Patten, Marianne Henry, Carolyn Schroer, Graham Horton, Russell Hodges, Bill Dampier, Marcos Leon, Adam Krazer, Joun Samara, and John Card. Please pray that God's light will shine through us at every opportunity - on the airplane, at the airport, walking around the city, with the Iraqi refugees - that every moment be used to glorify Him. I deeply thank you in advance for these prayers, as I cannot even tell you how much prayer means to me.
Likewise, I encourage you to get in prayer with God about your own mission experiences. Ask Him to show you how He is using you where you are, and how He can use you more. You can also ask the Lord to speak to your heart about missions and if there is somewhere He is directing you to go for Him, and not for you. God is doing amazing work in this world, and we can all be used by Him - just ask Him, and He will show you. Be prepared for how He will answer you, His call may not always align with your own ideas. This is beauty of giving up your own desires to replace them with God's desires. God's desires will always refine us to be more like Him, and that is to be our ultimate goal. A life pleasing to God blesses us and everyone around us in return.
You can mission - anywhere at anytime - go out and have the kind of faith to live dangerously for the Kingdom of God. You can do it, I believe in Him who is in YOU! I'm praying for you!
<><
Kay
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