A couple months ago (was it that long ago already?) the men on the squad were able to spent a month of ministry along the Thai – Burmese border in the refugee camps and children’s homes. At the time, I really felt the Lord working in me and completely breaking me for these people. I wanted to hear their stories, to see their struggle, to let others back home hear their story. I was so fired up for these people – I had an excitement that I had not experienced yet on the race. I wrote more blogs than I had yet on the race, I made videos, I emailed people back home – I just wanted people to KNOW what was going on in Burma and for others to feel what I felt. God changed me that month and placed a passion in me for these people. This was the first time on the race where I knew that I could come back and do this for a long period of time. I didn’t get a confirmation about anything, but the seeds were definitely planted. In an effort to give 100% of my focus and energy in every country we go to, I have not thought too much about Burma, Thailand, or what the future may hold for me there.
This month in Malaysia we have done lots of door to door ministry during the day and house visits at night. The evenings in the homes have been my favorite times – again, I love just sitting and talking to people and hearing about their lives. The other night our team met with a Sri Lankan family. Our pastor contact that takes us to the homes has a pretty formalized routine – prayer, songs, testimony, songs, prayer – and then we eat and go home. Usually we don’t even get a chance to talk to the family too much or hear their stories. For some reason the Lord immediately placed a huge burden for this family on my heart as soon as we walked into the room. I needed to ask questions, to find out more about them, even if the pastor didn’t offer the opportunity. Towards the end I spoke up and just went with my gut. I asked the father of the household, “Why did you decide to follow the Lord?” This simple question opened the door to him sharing about his experience surviving a bomb blast in Sri Lanka during a civil war, an situation that forced him to uproot his family and move to Malaysia, and ultimately lead him to Christ. The man had tears in his eyes as he shared his story. I was incredibly moved by this man, and I couldn’t help but thinking, “Has anyone ever asked him before to share about himself? – when was the last time he was able to make his story heard?” I spent a long time sharing my heart with this man and his family and just encouraging them and sharing whatever God continued to place on my heart.
Later that evening, my teammates spoke to me at teammtime and said, “Steven, you get so fired up when you are talking to refugees. A whole new excitement comes over you and you can really see it is something you are passionate about!” Refugees. The displaced. People without a voice. I realized in that moment that when God spoke to me when I was with that family, and when my teammates spoke to me that night, that the Lord has placed this passion in me for a reason. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, what it means, how God is going to use this in the future. I don’t have any answers right now, but when I get home it is something I am going to pursue. Maybe it means I go back to Burma; maybe I go help refugees in other parts of the world; maybe I help people who help refugees; maybe I find a job with an NGO that helps refugees; maybe I am just a prayer warrior for those who are serving. I don’t know the answer. But I know I can’t do nothing.
Our team, minus Nick, with the family from Sri Lanka.
Continue to pray for me during this time of transition back home. In less than a month I will arrive back in Los Angeles and from there head back to Atlanta. I have nothing planned, no agenda, no solid direction. And I am completely content with that. Pray for the Lord to give me direction, in His timing, about my future. And pray that these last three weeks are the most meaningful yet for me on the race. See ya’ll soon!
Cheers,
Steven
…And in case you were wondering, yes, I am still having fun here in Month 11. Nothing quite like theme parks in Malaysia for our free day!
