After 9 months of living the typical World Race life, I have such a respect for the way they set things up. Adventures in Missions has connections with wonderful people making a real and lasting impact all over the world, and it’s been a blessing to partner with them. With that being said, we’re doing something very different in Bolivia. This month, we don’t have a ministry host. AIM hasn’t set up the way we’ll be getting our meals, or even set up a place to live. Sound scary? Well, I have been praying that my team would be chosen to have the opportunity for this type of month since the beginning of the race.
Normally we are sent a “set up sheet” before each month begins. This document outlines who we’ll be staying with, what kind of ministry we’ll be doing, whether the water is safe to drink, what sort of accommodations we’ll have, etc. This month, we were told “your set up sheet for Bolivia is to read Matthew 10…
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil[a] spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness…
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: 7 “Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.[d] 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
9 “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand.”
This ministry is structured around the way Jesus sent out His disciples. Although we ARE carrying our traveler’s bags and a few changes of clothes, this is the type of ministry we’re trying to do; trusting that the Lord will lay out both needs and provisions in front of us, and draw us closer to Him in the process. The World Race lingo for what we’re starting today is called “Ask The Lord” and that is exactly what we’ll be doing. For the next two days we’ll be praying and asking for clear direction on how we should be serving in this country, and I have no idea what that will be! We have a budget of $10 a day which will need to cover our food, transportation, and lodging. A lot of our team has also made a personal commitment not to spend any extra personal money on food, so that we can really see the Lord provide for us.
As my team of seven women moves forward into this grand adventure with Christ, we could really use your prayers! It’s an extra special gift when we get to hear that someone at home is intentionally praying for us. Pray especially if you feel afraid of my taking part in this type of ministry, and know that I am not at all worried. I’ve seen God show up in massive ways for the last 9 months, and I have no doubt that what we’ll be able to experience this month will be very special.
