I got in touch with Jenny. She still was not totally clear on what it would take for
her to get from whatever village she was in to Ville Tecci. She was clear on the fact that it would
be a long, confusing trek. For me
to get from Bucharest to Ville Tecci required one fairly simple overnight train
ride.
But I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay in Bucharest, where God was doing cool
things in the teams around me.
Where God was using me to empower people to seek him in new ways. I wanted to stay in Bucharest where
there is free internet all day.
More than that, I didn’t want to walk into a situation where
nerves had already been worn threadbare.
I didn’t want to enter a situation where people would be looking for
answers I may not have. I didn’t
want to mediate. I didn’t want to
comfort in struggle.
The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that
the work that needed be done in Ville Tecci played into the strengths with
which the Lord has blessed me. The
main issue in Ville Tecci seemed to be communication, something I can usually
handle fairly well. Our teams
there need help to process a difficult situation. They need to debrief their experience. When I am most active in the Spirit, I
am a good listener and I can ask questions that help people see God in the
midst of confusion and struggle.
The more I thought about it the more I realized God wanted
me to go to Ville Tecci.
God doesn’t usually call us to comfortable places. The times in my life of greatest growth
– many in the last few years – have come in seasons of discomfort. They have come in seasons where I did
not know what to do. They have
come in seasons when, if I had my choice, I would have chosen a more
comfortable assignment.
I learned about the power of simple obedience in Kenya, when
I wasn’t sure about my role on my World Race team. I learned about God’s heart to seek out those who are
wandering when I rediscovered passion in the depths of a dark depression. I learned more about the nature of a
Divine Call when I decided to lead a World Race squad, rather than to stay at
home to begin to pursue a settled life as I would have preferred.
Now I’m on a journey that will take me to Ville Tecci. Maybe now I’ll learn more about
courageous communication. Maybe I’ll learn about patience for those who are
hurting and confused. Maybe I’ll
learn about supporting those who have reached brokenness after they think they
have tried everything they can think of to fix a broken situation. Maybe, by going to a place I don’t want
to go, by following God’s call despite my discomfort, I’ll learn a little bit
more about my identity and my God.
Maybe I’ll become little
bit more of the man God intends me to be.
