My Call- Part 1: A Mission Trip

First, let me explain how I got to be going where I will be going in 8 months. I accepted Jesus as a young adult and have been blessed with the most loving and strong bride anyone could have asked for. My life as a Christ follower has not always bee filled with my obedience to Him. I have made some huge mistakes; ones that I would never repeat. However, I am thankful for those experiences, for through God's grace, those experiences have made me what I am today.

The last 6 years I have really become more of an active member in our home church. 4 years ago, our church held a sacred gathering where the entire membership fasted for 5 days and we met every night for prayer and worship. This was our church body asking the Lord to lead us. We became a globally minded church that spring. We began to reach out with missions overseas, as well as in the U.S. We developed partnerships in several countries and sent many church members who felt called to missions to these places. I had many friends go on these trips. I supported them with prayer, encouragement and monetarily. When some of them asked if I wanted to go, I said not only NO, but HECK NO! That is not my calling. I'm perfectly comfortable to pay, pray and stay out of the way. Missions was for other people, not me.

2 years later, our church sent a team on a vision trip to set up a partnership in the South Asia region, and it made sense, since a family that were members of our church were IMB missionaries in this area. They brought the trip up at church one night, to pray for the team and to give details about the people and the lostness of the land. I suddenly felt something tugging at my heart. I began to feel like I needed to go on a mission trip there. I let it go, however because I heard the enemy tell me I was not qualified or good enough to serve the Lord on a mission trip. When the team returned, they gave their report, and it hit me again. I told my wife, who couldn't believe me either. So the call was put on the shelf again. A couple of months later, the IMB couple who were members of our church came stateside, and talked one Sunday about where they were, the incredible population that didn't know Jesus, and the huge possibilities of working among this harvest. I was hooked. I told God, "I give up. I'll do it!" I wrote an e-mail to our associate pastor in charge of missions for guidance on this situation. I asked him to tell me to go, or talk me out of this. He told me that I needed to obey God's call. He also said not to worry about cost and time, that God would provide that. I agreed and we began, as a 5 member team, to prepare for our trip.

We sent letters to friends and family to raise the $1200 for the trip. In 3 weeks, God sent us $1900. This was enough for my trip, passport, visa and immunizations. I guess God really wants me to go on this thing. I knew He would do something incredible to change my life by me going. I just didn't know what. We were to speak and teach at two different conferences to new believers who were missionaries to their areas and villages around them. I had done no formal teaching and was not much of a speaker, especially not through an interpreter. So this made me nervous and apprehensive, but I trusted God. All our preparations went well, everyone had all their paperwork done, money turned in, shots taken and we were ready to go on this 11 day trip.

When we arrived at our first destination after 24 hours of travel, we were put up in missionary housing to recover and get our feet under us. I began to get a feel for the lostness in the area, though our associate pastor who led us told us that this was not the worst of it. After the ladies shopped for some customary clothing of the area, we flew domestically to our destination city. I got off the plane, and the emotions began to hit me. God had brought me to this place, a calling on my life more than a year ago. Our contact met us and took us to the place we would stay. When we dropped our things off and then were taken to a training center for local missionaries. This was where they did their training. We were treated to some worship music in the local language. My emotions were erupting. I sat there and cried, and thanked the Lord for bringing me here to show me this.

We worshipped with, prayed over and taught 30 men the first two days, and about 25 the next two days. I felt closer to God than I ever had. We were able to visit two villages and a sewing ministry to help the local ladies learn a trade. More worship and prayer in these areas with believers. I came home on a spiritual high, as I thought I would. I thought that God was finished with me, that I did my service project and now I was to get on with my life. I was quite wrong!

To be continued.....