For the Love of Souls

Well family, it's officially been about two and half weeks and here I am back in the Weimar library studying for my GRE.  Real talk, if you are in Weimar, pay me a visit, because the quietness is starting to get to me.  However, going back to what really matters, I can say I Learned a lot, made many new friends, ate a lot of pancit, and saw Jesus work in miraculous ways this summer.  However, I'll keep it short and sweet.

1)  There's Power in the Youth.

I had the opportunity to preach an evangelistic series with the virtuous Richard Steffens, Cristobal Villasante, Dianna Abello, and mi madre.  When we started the session, I'll be real, it was underneath a tent and it consisted mostly of kids.  For a while I was like, "God,  where is the massive gymnasium and the older folks?" However, the Lord rebuked me so hard.  Little did I know that these kids were the ones that would be ministering to their parents and eventually be baptized with them as well.  I can recall observing a twelve-year old boy as he came to the meetings each night Bible in hand.  Eventually as it was time for baptism, he was the only one in his family that made the decision.  If only I was that eager when I was his age.  

In both two sites, there were around eighty-people baptized.  But as I looked at the Santa Rose group, I started to understand why Jesus said in Matthew 19:14 "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  Honestly, these kids have a spirit of evangelism and earnestness that we older folks often lose.  It is easier for them to make the decision to follow Jesus even though everybody else may be against them.  I found it interesting that when we visited the houses of the few older folks who were contemplating baptism, many of them were scared.  Their excuses ranged from my kids are catholic, to I love eating pork too much.  But Jesus is calling us to have the spirit of a child, and follow him without any doubts.  

2)  God of the Small

We had around thirteen people in our team.  If you compare that to the average Weimar mission trip, that's not a lot of people.  So I was kind of worried how it would all come together.  Being few in numbers, we were often put in tight positions because you only had 5 students to do 4 special musics a day.  However, it's amazing how God used us throughout all the health expos and evangelistic meetings.  

As I talked to the virtuous Mr. John Peacock, he reminded me that God was able to use us to save 80 souls and even start a church that will be built in about six months.  But I have a question, what if we didn't go?  One of the pastors said that everything might not have fallen in place.  There would be issues with finance for the church, the Bible workers may not have been able to commit to the location, this and that.  Not trying to say that we are the reason everything happened, but rather that God is able to use your willingness to do great and mighty things.  No matter how big, or small you may be.  

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

3)  A mission Trip isn't Responsible for Making you Fall in Love With Jesus

I repeat, a mission trip is not responsible for making you fall in love with Jesus.  Very often we have this picture in our mind that as we go on a mission trip we will suddenly have this urge to spend hours in the Bible and have a spontaneous love for ministry.  But the struggles you face at school will also be the struggles you may face on the mission trip.  You're still going to be tempted to sleep in and cut devotionals short, or spend an hour or two on cute cat videos on youtube.  So it really is a personal decision to fall in love with Jesus during your mission trip.  

However, you are obviously given opportunities on a mission trip that you won't have back at school.  For example a whole two weeks dedicated to ministry,  or Bible workers in which you will partner up with.  But a personal walk with Jesus isn't given to you, it must be sought with the whole heart.  

And you will seek me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  - Jeremiah 29:13 

Want to leave you with this last thought.  The reason we go on Missions is because Jesus went on a mission for us!  Blessup!

“Sometimes you gotta leave your family for a while, so that others can be with theirs forever. - artsy person on pinterest”