Hi W's,
With a little over 4 months to go until Training Camp many of you might be experiencing odd, unusual or officially crappy things happening to you. Some of these things can be car problems, tension with the parentals, unusual health issues, an uneasiness about some of the spiritual things you are being exposed to, nervousness or fear about the trip in general like safety, seeing difficult things and the dreaded question of "Is this God's will for my life."
All of these things are potentially legit concerns, and at the same time they are also common for any missionary who is about to go onto the field.
I had issues with my family before leaving for the Race, and unfortunately those issues were not limited to my parents. Nope, ALL of my large obnoixioulsy Italian family had something to say. I received demeaning emails from cousins, pretty much felt like I had lost respect from everyone and the joke of the family was, "Marisa is going on a vacation for a year and she wants us to pay for it" All of these things ripped my heart in horrible ways, but at night when I would be far away from their voices I would picture children in dumps and sex slave homes on their hands and knees crying out for help, praying for someone to find them. I was literally living out the scripture, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will loose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
A couple of weeks before the Race I found a lump on my you know where that my doctor was concerned about. Two weeks after training camp (when I was still waiting for the results from the biopsy) I was driving down the highway when a road construction sign shook loose and smashed the front of my car. Between the car and medical concerns, my personal bank account took a huge hit. I was totally broken.
Jesus didn't sit on the edge of my bed and with angels singing in the background tell me that "Thousest saysith that you shallith go on the World Race!" It was a mere desire and prompting, like the adventurous spirit in me soared at the thought of travelling to the nations with a backpack and revelation of God. All of this to say, in the scripture that I lived out while preparing for the Race the last sentence says that Whoever finds his life will loose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." In a sense I lost my life–totally! And two years later I find myself living out my dreams to the FULL MEASURE. I literally feel like I am living the (imperfect) but fullest measure of myself.
If you find yourself harrassed by opposition, tormented with fear or uneasiness….it doesn't mean that God doesn't want you to go on the trip. It simply means you will have something to preach about when you get to Kenya. You are living the gospel and he will reward your faith. You are promised opposition. You are also promised that he is with you and will turn all things around for the good beause you love him.
Hang in there…don't give up, press forward and fight through this.
Marisa
Here are a few pictures from my "Vacation."
The 12-year old orphan that I found in a dump sniffing glue. He was the first child that I rescued from the streets. We placed him in an awesome home called the Challenge Farm. I have been able to visit him every year and will be making another trip to see him in April. He has become son-like to me.
The 3-year old that I found in the dumps in the Philippines. He was sold for $60 to be a sex slave for a perverted guy in Japan. This picture was taken this year (2 years later.) He has started Kindergarden and is far away from the abuse that he was sold into because we saved him.
The rescued sex slaves that I helped heal from their trauma. Miracles happened this month.
The church I helped start in a drunken, extremely oppressed slum.
The Chinese pop star that I got to meet while in China. His mother was part of the underground church and he was a Buddhist–that is until we left.
