Thursday, February 09, 2006

Home, Neighborhood, City, Country, World


We saw a movie last weekend called End of the Spear. It is based on a true story that took place back in the 50's about missionaries in the deep rain forests of Ecuador. It is an amazing movie that will inspire and move you. I highly recommend it, and half of the money you spend on the movie goes directly to mission work to indigenous tribes.

The movie got me thinking about how my life has been blessed by mission work. My sophomore year at ACU I went on a Spring Break Campaign to the Dominican Republic. Before that time, the only encounters I had with missionaries were strange ones. I guess these were the type of missionaries that make people feel like they could never be good enough to do mission work. They were just "different" people. But while in the DR, I met some of the most amazing and inspiring people. Brian and Tammy and the Gautney's were two of the coolest families. They weren't the type of missionaries that I was planning to meet, and they totally changed my perspective of mission work. They had doubts and struggles just like I do, and they were a typical family like you would meet here in the states. It was such a blessing to work with them and observe what their life is like. I admire them greatly, and I hope to meet back up with them in the future (even though they probably have no idea who I am). I need to let them know how much they made a difference in my life.

My second mission experience was to Zimbabwe, Africa. If you have spent any time with me or Zach, you have heard us talk about Africa. It is a place that changes you to the core. It makes you vulnerable, sad, inspired, and real. The people there have a joy that I have yet to discover (in me or anyone else). They have such a greater perspective of heaven, and the hopeless situations that they live in make heaven a desired and fearless goal. The missionaries that we work with in Zimbabwe have to be the most patient people I know. They have the knowledge and education to know how not to get AIDS, but everyday, they see death at it's ugliest. They know the medicines and equipments that are available in the U.S., and yet they work with 1940's level medicine. They know the money that we throw around carelessly everday, but they still pray for just one donation of antibiotics or vaccinations. Their patience is beyond anything I know.



The girl is crying because she has never seen a white person.



We handed out one set of clothing and a pencil to orphans in the area. Over 500 orphans walked to us that lived up to 20 miles away. Humbling



I like this picture because these women walk to the hospital right before they give birth. In this picture, all these women are waiting to deliver and yet they are up walking around and carrying buckets on their heads and babies on their backs.



All this to say, Zach and I have wondered many times why it is so hard to decide whether or not to be missionaries. In all of our experiences in the mission field, we have been greatly rewarded and felt like we were doing God's work. It is plainly stated in the Bible many times that we should take the Wonderful News into all the nations. We as Christians should have a passion beyond ALL OTHER passions to expand the Kingdom.

So today, this blog is dedicated to missionaries, mission work, and a missional life. I want to live boldly. Thank you to all out there who have made a missional lifestyle your main goal. You are making an eternal difference.

1 comment:

Jackie Beth said...

Thanks for the mission work you're doing locally as well. Your huddle work is blessing lives everyday... I pray blessings on the sophomore huddle... love you guys. JB