Burstings

We put the walls up, but Jesus keeps them standing. He doesn’t need us, but He lets us put our hands in, so we can see, His love is bigger than you and me.

– Caedmon’s Call, Two Weeks in Africa

If I were writing this from Mexico, there would be a score of children outside my dorm screaming and laughing. I might be able to catch a whiff of the bathrooms down the hall. I would be wearing one of two tee shirts which I had worn all week. I wouldn’t have much time to write at all since our team would be getting ready to leave for a village outreach. If I were writing this from Mexico, I can guarantee that I would have a smile on my face.

Marla and I getting to know Luciena and her friends

There is something powerful about going on a mission trip. And by that statement I do not only mean the lives of that specific area that are impacted by the love of God. What I do mean is that as long as you go into a trip open to what God is saying to you, if you are teachable and humble and willing to serve and do whatever is needed, if you love without limit… you cannot help but develop your own personal paradigm shift. Inevitably, you will be changed.

Sometimes it is these transformations – the ones regarding the American team – which are the most memorable. I loved being a part of the team that spent a week in San Luis. And more than seeing the people there impacted by us, I loved seeing the teenagers impacted by them.

You could see the transformations happening almost daily. Each day brought a totally new concept and challenge; each time the students rose to those challenges and continued to smile, even if the task at hand was something as tedious as washing folding chairs or bagging beans and rice (lucky for us, we were creative enough to make a race out of it and wound up having a blast .

Tim, Mary and Marla surrounded by the kids of Bethel Orphanage

One of the girls, who at the beginning of the trip had declared there was no way she could pray out loud with the group, began sharing her testimony in difficult places, preaching the Gospel and praying for the sick! Another, in a moment of beautiful faith, dared to put dirt on the eyes of a blind woman (as Jesus had in John 9:5-7) and pray for healing out of great compassion. Imagine taking the Word of God so literally! We were all inspired by these two, and encouragement from all around the team flowed freely whenever we were together.

By the end of the trip, we had seen several people healed in the name of Jesus (including one of our translators!), a few hundred saved, and many more touched by the love of God through us. We were able to hug and feed people who worked in the local dump, people with beautiful, sun-browned faces and wide open hearts. We ministered to shut-ins, in two rehab centers, a nursing home, a soup kitchen, a Sunday School, two orphanages, and in numerous villages, including one recently ravaged by an earthquake. God gave us multiple opportunities to share His love, and I continue to be amazed by the unity of our team; everyone was stretched and used in tremendous ways.

Our team with some new friends during our dump outreach

This was a very different kind of trip for me. One where I was a co leader and learning daily how to deflect my personal agenda and challenge and encourage the team towards greatness. I did get the opportunity to preach in a village as well, which proved to be extra challenging since it was my first child-audience-targeted message. Jesus was amazing though, kept me on track, and helped me as always to deliver a clear message that resulted in salvation – even among the adults! (Wow thank You Jesus!)

The children were beautiful, the weather was great, the whole trip was actually better than I had expected. God used us in so many ways; I am still processing everything apparently, continuing to marvel at His work. Most of all, I am so impressed with the devotion of the young people who went. They brought their “A game,” as some like to say, and as a result were deeply changed. I will not be surprised to hear that, after graduation, many of them are pursuing a career in missions. And that just warms my whole heart. Of course.

kids at one of our village outreaches

Although there is so much to report, so much to brag about with these students, I have to say that God spoke to me a lot as well on a personal level. I realized at various times during the week, just how much this is the life I long for. We were living at the Caring Hearts Bethel Orphanage. Breathing the same dusty air as the precious children and committed ministry directors. For seven days, it was our home. And it felt like it. When it was time to say goodbye, everyone cried. I felt such a strong confirmation from the Lord while I was there, a clear understanding that this is it; this is the lifestyle I am meant for.

I got up early in the mornings to pray in the predawn dark, sitting under palm trees on a very cold bench in the courtyard. I read and prayed, doing the daily mundane, but sensing a realization deep inside. This is the missionary life. It’s not the big moments when thousands are saved, but the devotion to small details, the connection with that one person whom you get to love on and share the Gospel with. It’s the meeting early with a team of believers to worship and testify to God’s goodness. It’s the chores and the sweat and the relationships. It’s the ability to see God in every morsel of the day, even the silly things.

Janell with Ruth, a beautiful girl from Bethel Orphanage

One day we girls scraped paint off of the guys’ dorm. One of the girls looked at me at one point and with pure wonder asked, “Why are we doing this again?” It was not a complaint; it was a real question, but asked with a kind of joy too. We talked about how neither of us knew what we were doing and that the job seemed silly since we didn’t see much result for our labor. But we did it because we were asked and because it was needed. We knew in that moment that it was a God moment, even if it was trivial or totally antithetical to our natural giftings. I admire her because even when she didn’t understand, she smiled and continued to chip paint shavings into the dust.

I think life is kind of like that sometimes. We don’t always understand why God gives us certain things to do, or why we are where we are. But those are sometimes the most character building and profound moments of life. In a way, that’s kind of how Mexico was for me. It was a lot of little moments sewn together to create a beautiful big one. And it confirmed to me the heart of missions.

Missions is work. It’s a lot of tears and sweat and prayers. Maybe you invest in someone for months before they give themselves to Jesus. But then they are truly transformed, exploding with understanding and joy. Other times, it’s like the dam breaks, and everywhere things are happening to declare your purpose. But I love it. All of it. It applies to the daily grind of the US as well as to the foreign luster of distant shores. If you can find a way to shine Jesus’ love in small moments every day, you are a missionary. If you are faithful with the small things He gives you, if you sow much, you will see great harvest.

Feeding the hungry at the dump

I am so thankful to God for this trip. My eyes were opened to a lot. And I just can’t say enough how impressed I am with the team. They changed the world in San Luis, and continue to do so here. I just love them.