This blog may be late, but it’s a story that I have been meaning to tell.
(photo: my squadmate Rachel Powidzki)
This is Rob Schenk. Rob is a missionary in Lima, Peru with YWAM Lima. He translated for my team and team “Undertow” while we served in Lima. If anyone has
taught me about having a servant’s heart and walking humbly while I have been on the race it is Rob. He loves the Lord. He loved us.
Rob is a servant, a giver, a truth-seeker, and a lover.
I think every story of the Lord changing and working in our hearts is powerful. From the most humble to the most surprising. That story is a reflection of the Lord at work. I mean WHAT can be more powerful?
A few days into staying in Lima, the Lord laid it on my heart to hear Rob’s testimony.
I asked early on if he would share, but it wasn’t until our final day that I took the time to listen. I told him I was planning to share it on my blog and asked if that was OK. At first, he was hesitant, but agreed- saying he hadn’t shared before, especially with his father. I said it was a story worth sharing and he agreed.
Below is his story as he told it.
How did you find Jesus and what led you to a life with Christ?
Jesus, who’s Jesus? (laughs)
I’ve been trying to figure out how I want to say this.
To explain that, I’d have to explain my family a little bit.
My family was dysfunctional, but they were churchgoers.
From day number 2- my mom and dad did not have a good relationship.
If you talk to them separately they’ll say that the second day of the marriage is when the marriage went bad.
The way I grew up-we were moving, always moving.
By the time I was 20, I had lived in 20 different places.
You loose old friends, you gain new friends. Until you come to the point where you stop trying to make new friends because you are going to loose them anyway.
Because of the way my father raised me, he was abusive until I was 11.
At first it was physical, but then it became a lot more verbal abuse.
In the beginning, I viewed God that way, as my father, not as someone who likes me.
There was a point when I was 8 or 9- and I do remember vividly when I accepted Jesus into my heart. I was in the front pew. I remember the pastor of the church at the time was sitting beside me.
I was in church whenever the doors were open.
With Jesus growing up, I always knew Him, I always had a very personal relationship with Him. So as I grew, I was different than my brothers and sisters. I became closer to God. Where they were, well, they went away from God.
I moved out to my own place in Minnesota and God gave me a pain my chest. I was so lonely that I called my mom every single day.
So, I asked my parents if I could move back in with them. When I did, I started going to my old church and it was almost like I got a new fire for God. I did every single thing I could in that church.
During that time, I went to my father, and told him that I forgave him.
And after that, is when Jesus called me to missions.
I believe He waited until after I forgave my father, before He called me to missions. I believe that to be in missions, it’s almost like a crock-pot that is boiling. Whatever problems you have, it’s going to come out more in missions. A lot of a pressure situation. It is so important to have relationship problems “right” before you go. A lot of people have problems before and just bring those with them.
Me and my dad, it was a process. Right now, there’s nothing (points to his chest). Back then, even though I forgave my dad, you still go through your mind all the things he did wrong. My hurt was still there. But now, I have no more pain, no more nothing.
He supports me down here and I go visit him. Our relationship is fine, don’t say “poor me” or anything like that.
Because of what I went through, I empathize with people that hurt.
The reason I am in missions is because of brokenhearted people. And I believe that God has given me that ability to empathize with that.
So, that’s how I became saved.
Do you want to know how I felt called to missions?
I was living with five guys. It was a cool time, a really cool time. There was a missionary who came to our church, this was in Minnesota. And all five of us went forward when
he asked who felt called to missions.
I kept telling people this is what I am doing with my life.
The thing is when you get a call like that from God on your life, no matter what happens, that call never dies. It’s natural to think that can’t happen now. But, it’s never going to die.When I finally did leave, I had the best job I ever had. I had a great church. I had no reason to leave.
When you go from supporting yourself to having people support you as a missionary it’s a huge step. I didn’t know if I could do that. So, I tried to figure out how can I be missionary without asking people for help.
I always thought I would go to Mexico, it was my dream, but a friend asked me to come to Peru.When I made the decision I was going to Peru, I started sending out support letters. Raising money to go to a school and come back is one thing, raising money that you will need monthly-is another. It adds up. That was the fear. Would people actually give me money, money monthly? [But, it came in] I left [the States] November 29th.
A week before I left, my dad calls me up. At first he wasn’t sure about what I was doing. I explained to him that the reason I was going down here was because of God and a promise to a friend. He met my mom in bible college, and he went back when he was 6 or 7. He asked me if I knew why he went back. I told him I didn’t.
A week before I went, God decided to give me conformation.
My dad said that when I was 6 or 7, God gave him a vision in his heart that he was suppose to take his family to the Amazon River in Peru and work with indigenous people. I had no clue. And here I was going.
It was like God saying-it’s nice when he gives you confirmation.
And that’s how I was called to missions and that’s how I went.
Rob’s heart is pure and his story speaks truth.
We all have a story, what’s yours?
