Over the last month and a half my squad and I have been here, there and everywhere doing ministry. But I want to be more transparent with y’all about some of the unanticipated route changes my squadmates and I have encountered and some things I’ve been learning due to them.
In Mae Sot (month 2) Yangon (debrief 2) and, as of 5 days ago, India (month 3) our squad, like I said, has had our expectations change. Instead of going on to the next location, my squadmates have stayed/will stay behind for some time to bring projects to completion and bring people to a more stable and founded place in their relationship with the Lord. I’ll give you a little back story on all of those situations for those who need some clarification.
Mae Sot (Thailand)
Prior to X-Stream leaving Mae Sot, Thailand to catch a bus to Yangon for debrief, there had been an opportunity presented to us about potentially staying for a few extra days to help finish some work. We had been helping finish and prepare a building for the organization there in Mae Sot and weren’t going to be able to finish before it was time to leave. We discussed and then prayed individually and 2 of us ended up staying back to finish what needed finishing.
Praying over those staying back to help build up the new Church and encourage the old Church in Myanmar
Yangon (Myanmar)
While we were in Yangon for our month 2 debrief at the end of February, our squad came in contact with a local lady who had a passion for evangelism (which simply means talking with and showing people about Jesus and who he is). On our final afternoon there, we invited people to a church service in a park by a river. Long story short, many lives were touched and many took some first steps in getting to know Jesus and having a relationship with him. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen!
Immediately following the service, our leaders encouraged us to spend some time in prayer and group discussion about possibly staying in Yangon for month 3 and building up our new brothers and sisters. As I prayed about it and as we talked as a new team (Beast Mode), all of us came to the unanimous conclusion that going on to India was where the Lord was leading us. All 3 ladies from Dragon Fish Storm team as well as a squad leader and a mentor ended up staying behind to help “plant a church” in Yangon, Myanmar.
Some of my squadmates with new and old Church members in Yangon, Myanmar
Kolkata (India)
Most recently, in our team (Beast Mode) graciously got to witness and be used in a supernatural way. Hundreds of Indians, by prayer, were healed from physical ailments and conditions. Hundreds! Man, what a humbling move to be a part of (really, I almost cried a few times while praying for people)! Instead of going on to Manipur, the other half of Dragon Fish Storm ended up staying back in Kolkata to disciple those people who were getting healed and hearing briefly about the Lord. However, that team was not able to pass off the new “church” to an Indian to shepherd and minister long-term. So a few days ago it was decided that (after much prayer) more people would be going back, and now 3 of my squadmates plus a squad leader have applyed for India visas again.
Teammates and new friends who the Lord healed miraculously (this was the picture taken on the first day of Kolkata craziness)
Hyderabad (India)
Another church might be starting up in another part of India too (Hyderabad), but I’m afraid I have way less info about that church. I do know that we’re sending another group of 5, as of a week ago, to minister there.
My point…
In truth, I’m someone who values commitments and plans. If I start going in a direction, I tend to become committed to the course and usually require a convincing reason for me to abandon something and take to a new path. Being a commitment- and plan-honoring person is quite honestly something I really like about myself and the way God has made me. I feel like He has, over the years, made commitment an easier and more natural choice for me than for many people. And not just commitment for the sake of commitment, but God-glorifying, righteous commitment. Yeah, what a gift! What a grace to be taught commitment!
BUT…… God, through all of the good and necessary changes-to-plan that have been happening as explained above, has been challenging my perspective on commitment. For me, World Race’ 11 countries in 11 months tagline had become something I had committed to, a plan that wasn’t going to be messed with.
As you can probably imagine, this commitment idea about World Race isn’t always the best attitude to have. It can result in me being inflexible or giving an aire of stubbornness or unwillingness to change direction when asked to reconsider. It can hint towards pridefulness or me being “set in my ways” and dismissive. *cringes* Yeah…hardly fruits of the Spirit…
When opportunities arose for us to consider staying back in Thailand, Myanmar and India, and changing our plans, I honestly initially saw it as a commitment problem. As a red flag that people weren’t willing to keep with the course and do hard things (which is ironic because, in many ways, it was more difficult to stay or go back rather than go on with the rest of the group). But God’s been teaching me that it isn’t so much a commitment issue as it is a tension between commitment and obedience.
Obedience to who?
Obedience to the Lord. To His will. To His desires and dreams (as revealed in the Word and through the Holy Spirit). To HIS plans. When our leaders first entertained the thought of going back, I trust it was a thought purposed towards being obedient. Being willing to yield. Ultimately, I want to be the kind of person who values committed obedience, and even obedience over commitment, when necessary.
(Side note: It’s funny to me that God sometimes asks us to choose between something important and something necessary.)
I mean, what if God wants me in the coming months on the race (or elsewhere) to forsake the planned road because that is his ultimate plan for me… Could I do that? If he really does want me or my team or my whole squad to hang back or even miss an entire country (and end up going to 10 countries in 11 months) to help establish a new church or do manual labor or assist with a movement or whatever… Could we do that?? Is the Church willing to do that?
With every day of our lives, may we all find it easier to say, with greater assurance that his ways are better than ours and increased confidence in his steadfast grip on us, “Here I am, Lord. Send me!”
This is the view a few nights ago from the roof of the house we’re at in Nepal…man, is this the real life? (This is also the only picture in this blog that I myself took…the others belong to gracious friends who are way better at taking timely photos 🙂 )
