"You wonder why people choose fields away from the States when young people at home are drifting because no one wants to take time to listen to their problems. Ill tell you why I left. Because those Stateside young people have every opportunity to study, hear, and understand the Word of God in their own language, and these Indians have no opportunity whatsoever. I have had to make a cross of two logs, and lie down on it, to show the Indians what it means to crucify a man. When there is that much ignorance over here and so much knowledge and opportunity over there, I have no question in my mind why God sent me here. Those whimpering Stateside young people will wake up on the Day of Judgment condemned to worse fates than these demon-fearing Indians, because, having a Bible, they were bored with it---while these never heard of such a thing as writing."
-Jim Elliot
"Answering a student's question, 'Will the heathen who have not heard the Gospel be saved?' thus, 'It is more a question with me whether we, who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not, can be saved."
Charles Spurgeon
"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light"
John Keith Falconer
"Here am I. Send me."
Isaiah
here are a couple of the "clouds of witnesses" set before us (Hebrews 12), and man, what a testimony.
in my heart, i pray that God would give me the spiritual and physical vigor to one day obtain the faith of the examples set before me.... and be able to say with all of my being, "Here I am, send me".
this is my second year to the Dominican Republic as a short-term missionary, and yet again... the only word that expresses the whole experience would be, "AMAZING"!
we hit about 11 Batey's and some local churches and even a beach resort! which was insane and unplanned but God made a way and wanted those people to hear the gospel just as much the less fortunate needed to!
there were moments during our time at the Batey's where i would just go and pray to myself..... with the heavens above me, the Batey village around me, and the Spirit of God stirring words in me.
i would just stand there and be able to marvel at how much God truly loves us and cry for the people who think they're forgotten.
there were Batey's with nice churches, broken down churches, tented churches, and no churches.
so many cults come through these places, from Mormons to Moonies~
we come across pastors who've been through one month seminars declaring them "Ambassadors of Peace" for the area~
no matter how bizarre the situation may get, i can't help to wonder... what will convince them that Christianity is the right way, and how to distinguish even that from a cultivated institution itself.
but we can't lose focus....
we weren't there to tell them Christianity is the right way....
we were there to tell them about a God who loves them and hates sin~ and that by the blood of a Christ who is more about others than Himself, cared till the point of death to reunite God and man at the foot of a Roman cross 2000 years ago... to pave that way into eternal life.
that the God of the universe, YEARNS deathly... for a relationship with us.... and not to see our lives wasted~ but to be rooted... in "trees of righteousness" (Isaiah 61)
i can't help but walk away with a corner of my heart burdened bcuz of unfinished work.
a burden to see more souls come to Christ, a burden that tells me that this short term missionary work is not enough....
the call of an oversea missionary perhaps? the call of a preacher? the call to be a Christian?!
it's ridiculous.
why would God choose me? out of billions??? naawwwwww
but the fact of the matter was.... that when i was looking into that starlit sky, i realized.....
I'm 1000 miles away from home, i've just ministered to 11 out of hundred Batey's, around 24 Batey's in the past 2 summers, shared the gospel in Spanish, and was looking into a universe that God created.... and this God could've chosen a billion other people to do that.......
but He chose me.... so my heart wasn't asking "why" any more... but more like, "wow".
it became more like... "thank You Lord, for choosing me.... for letting me see things only You can reveal, to hear things only You can tell me, to do things only You can do through me...... for simply using me"
wow.
i can't explain in a blog how this whole thing has given light to different areas of my life, but one thing is for sure.... it's moments when you realize God is using u, your heart, mind, body, & soul... become one for the Kingdom and burns that much brighter not amongst the brightest... but brightest amongst the darkness.
man, i don't know how clear that last statement is for some of you...... but all i can say is...
I can't wait for next year. =)
1.
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the bus which brings good news
soldiers training...
soldiers strategizing...
never forget Batey 40
this is where church starts.... with faith.
bringin in the town!
Batey space
another church
the least...
of these.
mangos so good u can eat it right off the tree and with the skin...
the bugs are no joke!!! ahhh
this looks like brooklyn lol
fun @ the beach
last night @ resort stage, was crazy.
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
