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Mark 16:15 And then He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.”

 

This scripture is part of God’s Great Commission as told to the 12 disciples by Jesus after His resurrection. The “Mission” of the Great Commission, which was sharing the Good News that Jesus Christ paid the punishment for our sins and that those who believe in Him can be forgiven and live eternally with God, was not to stop with the 12 disciples. What Jesus started with the 12 disciples, it is our job to finish it.

 

 

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Missionaries

 

You are more qualified than you think!

 

 

June 16th,2011 marked 1 year since my husband, Rich, and I joined a mission team of 15 and traveled to the severely poverty stricken slum villages surrounding Kampala, the capitol of Uganda, East Africa.

 

Upon stepping foot on the dry, dusty soil of this foreign land, despite over a year of planning and preparation for the trip, it hit me; OMG! I am a Missionary! Our mission was 2-fold: 1.To help construct a gated entrance and security wall around the Bwaise Pentecostal Church and Life Care School. Ok, I can do that. 2. Provide an Outreach ministry sharing the soul-saving Good News and love of Jesus Christ. Whoa! Wait a second! Am I really qualified for this? I’m no Biblical scholar or preacher! What are these people going to expect of me? What are God’s expectations going to be of me and most vital, will I fulfill them?

 

This sudden reality check was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as we came to realize quickly the many, okay, almost all, comforts of home we have severely taken for granted, were just that, at home! Culture shock hit hard, but even harder as we witnessed the gut-wrenching devastation of the poverty dictated living conditions and starvation that surrounded us, not to mention the Muslim influence we were up against. I think to myself, what have I gotten myself into? Nothing could have prepared me for this and I am here for the next 3 weeks! It’s not like I could say, “Okay, changed my mind”, hop in my car and go home.

 

Our devotions the first day was focused on Psalms 121. Verses 1-3 says, “I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let me stumble or fall; the one who watches over me will not sleep.“ I truly believe God gave us, me, this scripture as His way of saying “Hey, I know how you feel. I made you this promise. Now stand on it!” And so we did. So I did. Every day as we read it and meditated on it, it provided me with the answers to my questions, calming my concerns and reminding me that God will provide all that I need!

 

A year later, I can tell you God was faithful to that promise, which on my part, there should have never been any doubt. I survived having to wash my clothes by hand, go days without a shower that when there was one was a mere trickle of water from a pipe on the wall, having a hole in the ground as toilet facilities, drinking warm bottled water, when we had it, no refrigerator to go to when I was hungry, no cell phone to put to my ear to call anyone, turning on a light switch and maybe having the light come on, having no air conditioning and being extremely vulnerable in a country where it was obvious this English-speaking Caucasian blond was a foreigner, an outsider. By relying on God to provide and protect, it was amazing how quickly we adapted. How very humbled I became and how my absent comforts of home and present living inconveniences faded in comparison to the way we were so warmly accepted and treated with great generosity and hospitality by the people of the villages who by modern day materialistic standards have nothing.

 

My message in this writing is not to go on about the stories of our life-changing experiences in Africa, which there are many and I could go on and on. Instead my message is about how important it is for each of us to do our part in carrying out God’s Great Commission.  In fact, God commands it. I know. Your thinking is probably much like mine was; I’m not well versed in scripture, I’m no preacher, Bible scholar, church leader or even a Sunday school teacher let alone able to travel the world. None of these are requirements to fulfilling God’s mission, to be a missionary.

 

At home, school, work or neighborhood, you can be a missionary in your own little corner of the world! Your personal belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ as the crucified, resurrected and living Son of God and living your life according to the Word of God is all that is required. With this you automatically carry within you the Holy Spirit and the characteristics of Jesus Christ that qualifies you to witness to others through love, compassion, generosity, forgiveness and where God opens that door of opportunity, talk about Him. For this God will recognize your obedience and you will be truly blessed! 

 

 

Be a missionary!

You are more qualified than you think!