James 1:27-Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
As each day goes by, this whole thing becomes more real to me. Especially now as I realize I am probably writing my last blog before I leave. My life is about to change completely. I try to imagine what each country will be like.. what we’ll be doing, who we’re going to meet, or even what city or village we will be in… and I can’t.
Some people ask me why I’m going out of the country to do mission work, when so much is needed here. I guess my reply to that is.. I feel like I need to be out of my comfort zone for once. I have so much stuff here I can depend on like a house, a huge food selection every day, warmth, air conditioning, a job, health, etc. etc. I’m ready to see how life is in very different situations, such as.. let’s say,no air conditioning…
not enough food…
no job…
forced prostitution…
minimal or no school…
disease that is out of control…
yet they are open to the Hope that Jesus can bring…
The great part is that we actually get to live with the local people. No hotels, we’re not tourists. We get to share life with them.. and show them how having a relationship with Jesus can bring peace through struggle… how it can fill a void in their heart that nothing else can… how it can bring hope even if daily living is a struggle. I understand that this means I may get sick. I may be hot and smelly, I may not have a toilet, and I probably won’t have much running water. I may not have anything between myself and a monsoon except a tent. Will it be worth it to see lives transformed all over the world? Yes. Will it be worth it to hold an orphan who lost his parents to AIDS or to cry with a widow or sing with a church in the middle of Africa? Definitely.
So, as I set sails, I want to thank all of the wonderful people who have helped me get here. So many people praying for me… so many people supporting me financially. Let me tell you.. you will not see your money going to me (except maybe on food) but you will see it multiplying and blessing thousands through all of the interactions I will have.
Thanks to the Lord working through amazing people, I have raised enough money to launch to Thailand in January. I am still in need of lots of monthly supporters while I'm gone because I will still need to raise over $8,000 while I'm on the field. I have faith. I know God wants me over there and He will keep me there if that's what He wants too.
Merry Christmas!! Don't forget JESUS is the Reason For the Season!!
The verse I'll be repeating to myself throughout the World Race:
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" ~ Isaiah 40:31
