Sep
30
A missionary in Honduras told me in 2003 that the mission field isn't a place you grow spiritually. My frequent remembrance of that comment I guess indicates how much I frightened me. To know God more intimately is the one thing I want out of my life. If the mission field isn't the place for that to happen, the mission field isn't for me.All judgments aside on my future in missions, let me just say that we are finding ourselves drawing closer and closer to Jesus as we live out this journey in Peru. Away from the pull of materialism, we are more content with Him and less desperate for things. Separated from our friends and family, we run to Him to meet our needs. Without movie theaters, malls, and fast food, we look to Him to fill our emptiness. We are finding Him perfectly sufficient and a lot more. He is the one "who fills everything in every way" (Ephesians 1:23).
In the face of culture shock and weariness, I know I need to remember all the more the blessings He is pouring out on us. Freedom in Christ means that I can focus on the rainbow and not the rain. As an exercise in "counting my blessings," let me tell you a few things that happened on our day off yesterday when we went to Lima.
- A police officer boarded our bus and took 3 or 4 people off. We found out later that another passenger had overheard them talking about robbing us and called the police on a cell phone. I think getting mugged would have been the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Of course, God knew that, too.
- At the last minute, we were able to visit another American missionary family in Lima, friends of ours from language school, and share a pizza dinner. You'd think we were "home." It makes me smile just remembering.
- The financial news yesterday was tough, but in the midst of it, we both felt a deep sense of peace I think. I'm so grateful that my hope is in God and not in money. I'm grateful, too, for the Holy Spirit, who brings to my remembrance all of the things Jesus taught and grants me a peace beyond understanding.
