mission

by

Don’t Muzzle the Ox

Young_oxen_Wikicommons-001

I’m in the middle of raising the funds needed for my mission trip to Swaziland this October. A number of exceedingly generous people have contributed to my church account, but I have a long way to go. I admit, I’m struggling.

It’s not that I doubt God’s ability to provide. Pete and I have a long track record of God meeting our every need, even when things looked humanly impossible. My God is a God of miracles.

It’s not that I doubt my “call” to go on this trip. God clearly told me to go. I hadn’t even considered going to Swaziland before I heard his prompting, so I know I wasn’t confused by my own desires. The way he has put his motivation into my heart confirms his direction.

No, the problem is that I have a hard time asking anyone for money.

Continue reading →

by

Follow Me

animalbsOur Swazi missions team had our first official meeting last week. As I looked around the room at these people I’m going to get to know so well over the coming months, I was struck by how different we all are. It seemed that the only thing we have in common is our desire to serve God and others.

Think you don’t qualify for a mission trip? See if you can identify with any of my teammates.

Continue reading →

by

Please Support My Trip to Swaziland

swazikid-chc-001For the past few months I’ve been writing about my upcoming mission trip to Swaziland. I’ve prayed, researched the country, prayed, researched the organization we’ll be working with, prayed, attended team meetings, prayed, worked long hours in our church cafe to help raise the needed funds, prayed, and prayed. Now the time has come to raise up a support team. Yes, I need to send out a letter asking people to pray for me and to give financially toward the trip expenses.

Continue reading →

by

Pretend They’re Wild Animals?

Gray Jay_LAHI love taking pictures of God’s creation. Soaring mountains, flower-bedecked meadows, the year’s first crocus, a Gray Jay landing on a boulder—they all remind me of the Lord who created them, and I love to capture his fingerprints in pixels. In fact, you might say it consumes me.

I remember a birding trip one cold February. It was a whopping eleven degrees with freezing fog. Everyone else was in the warm house drinking tea and watching the feeders through the windows. I was out in the yard snapping photos, oblivious to the cold.

Continue reading →

by

Read This: Torches of Joy

Torches of Joy coverThe church has always sent missionaries—believers who God tapped on the shoulder and sent to other cultures to share the gospel. When we hear of their great deeds, the amazing way God used them to bring the gospel to hard places, we realize that God can use us, too.

For example, I’ve read fascinating biographies of both Hudson Taylor (1832 – 1905) and Gladys Aylward (1902 – 1970), each a missionary to China. There are at least two books—Shadow of the Almighty and Through Gates of Splendor—about Jim Elliot (1927 – 1956), who gave died at the hands of the Auca Indians of South America. And there are several engrossing biographies about Amy Charmichael (1867- 1951), who started an orphanage and mission station in India, and whose life inspired Jim Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth.

Continue reading →

by

Swaziland Trailer

As I mentioned a couple of months ago, I’m signed up for our church’s trip to Swaziland this October. There we’ll be partnering with Children’s Hope Chest and a local church in providing food, educational assistance, and other resources for the many AIDS  orphans living near two CarePoints. I could describe what I’ve been told so far—or I can show you this video. Produced by CHC, it shows how one CarePoint is transforming life for those it serves. (This is a different Swazi CarePoint, slightly more developed, than the ones we’ll be visiting, but they’re all very similar. We’re going to Mankayane and Gege.)

Please be patient… the video takes a moment to load.

I can hardly wait to get there!

by

Read This: Eternity in Their Hearts

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

eternity-heartsI think about that verse often… what about “those who have never heard”?  How did God clearly show his power and divine nature? Yes, we often say that the beauty of nature, as seen in a sunset or a baby’s first cry, is ample evidence of the existence of God. Is that what this verse means?

Then I read Eternity in Their Hearts, by Don Richardson*. I realized that God didn’t stop with showing himself in his creation. He placed a part of himself in every people group on earth. It’s up to us to discover where the gospel hides in every culture. It’s absolutely amazing, the “coincidences” that missionaries find on the field. That’s what this book is about.

Continue reading →

by

Partnering with Children’s Hope Chest

map_swazilandLast month, I mentioned that I’m signed up to go on a mission trip to Swaziland, in southern Africa. I explained that our church has partnered with Swazi believers to create a care center in a country struggling to provide for tens of thousands of AIDS orphans. Rather than build orphanages and remove the children from their communities, the goal is to provide enough support for them and their caretakers to thrive. (You might want to re-read my post on this successful strategy.)

A third partner in this endeavor is a wonderful ministry called Children’s Hope Chest. Several years ago, I recommended a book written by the CEO of this organization, Tom Davis. Scared: a Novel on the Edge of the World puts forth in fictional form the true story of many African children. Read this book, and you’ll understand a major reason why I’m going on this trip.

Continue reading →

by

Signed Up

Short-term missions. I’m for them. I’m against them. I’ve waffled back and forth for several years, seeing good points and bad points. You may have read my daughter’s post about her short-term experiences, or some of my own thoughts on the topic (see “World” listed in the Categories to the right) . We’ve supported friends and relatives going overseas, I’ve read numerous books and articles, and I’ve even accompanied Pete as he’s attended meetings and spoken at conferences on several continents. Sure, there’s always some role for me to play on those trips, some way I can be helpful, but I’ve always been there as Pete’s wife, not me.

Well, this year all that will change.

Continue reading →

by

What Jesus Deserves

I’ve been talking all month about what sorts of things we can give Jesus for Christmas. A few weeks ago, our Global Sunday School showed the following video clip from a sermon by Paris Reidhead*. It highlights one more item on Jesus’ list… perhaps the most important item of all. What could be bigger than giving him our love for others and own love and devotion? Take five minutes, watch and see.

*Paris Reidhead (May 30, 1919 – March 23, 1992) was a Christian missionary, teacher, writer, and advocate of economic development in impoverished nations. (Wikipdia)