I'm doing a video chat with our missions team that is in Thailand today. This trip kicks off our A18 (Acts 1:8) initiative. We're taking 10 trips to 10 countries over the next 10 months. Our Thailand team is working with a ministry called The Well that is working behind the scenes to help rescue girls from the sex industry.
Yesterday I read something my friend Paul Braoudakis wrote about in the latest issue of Willow. He said only 20% of Americans possess a passport. And suggests that maybe that is why so many Americans don't have a pulse on what's happening outside our borders. We've got to open our eyes to the injustice and pain and suffering. And we've got to take the love of Christ into these hellholes.
Our team is blogging some pictures and thoughts.
Check it out.
Yesterday I read something my friend Paul Braoudakis wrote about in the latest issue of Willow. He said only 20% of Americans possess a passport. And suggests that maybe that is why so many Americans don't have a pulse on what's happening outside our borders. We've got to open our eyes to the injustice and pain and suffering. And we've got to take the love of Christ into these hellholes.
Our team is blogging some pictures and thoughts.
Check it out.
3 Comments:
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Yes, we need to open each other's eyes.
Mark, I first want to say thank you for being bold in some things you say, I am sure you must get some nasty e-mails sometimes...this is not one of them, so don't worry, although it would be nice to be able to send you a real e-mail, this is all I could find.
I just picked up Wild Goose Chase yesterday and thanks to you, I couldn't sleep last night, or I should say thanks to the Wild Goose. There have been many lines in your book that have stopped me in my tracks, but one in particular is the reason I am writing..." I prayed that Wild GOose Chase would get into the right hands at the right time...It's a divine appointment waiting to happen." I have know people before to use say that, but never before have I FELT those prayers. For me and my husband, this is the right time. Last night, I didn't sleep because the "Wild Goose" was continually prompting me to get up and e-mail you. So here goes...
Seven years ago I met my husband in the Czech Republic...we were there for four months as students at an Mission Training School. I will spare you the sappy details of our romance, but tell you that a year later we were married with the goal of being missionaries in Venezuela. Went to Guatemala to learn Spanish, things got rocky in Venezuela with Chavez so we didn't go. Spent the six years in Canada (he is Canadian, I am American) with my husband working in Child and YOuth work, he is now a YOuth pastor. Four years ago, we began taking Hockey mission trips to the Czech Republic...and without us really knowing God was setting the stage to push is out of our "cage". This last February (we take a trip every Feb) The Holy Spirit whispered to him a vision of working with youth and opening a Drop in Centre for kids in Hlinsko, the town we work in, in Czech. He asked GOd to have someone else say the same thing to him so he would know he wasn't going crazy. (He didn't even tell me this happened). THe next day a lady sat down to lunch with us and said the very thing Jody asked God to have someone say to him. We were FLOORED! Later that day a Pastor from New YOrk who was with us on the trip and knew nothing about all this came up to us and told us that what God is planning in our lives he will also provide for, so don't worry or strive, just pray. So we went home to Canada doing just that. Praying and trusting that God would show us His timing and unfold the details as we need to know them. This summer, Jody walked into a meeting at church with a job, and walked out without one. The givings are down at the church and they can't afford a youth pastor any more, and we knew that the Wild GOose was moving again. We made a responsibly irresponsible decision, and are now in the process of moving to the Czech this January. THis passion for Czech is God breathed and I believe began when we were first in Czech seven years ago. Czech is a materialistic, 81% athiest nation, with PRague being the porn capital of the world, I think it's safe to say that they are bored with their athiesm and are starving. Czechs are difficult to open up, but they appreciate your efforts and after awhile they warmly extend friendship. We are excitedly, but with fear and trepidation approaching this time. I look forward to finishing your book and going back and reading In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day...I think so far it has been a Divine Appointment. Thank you.
A18 is the most innovative missions endeavor I've seen since "MissionSight" or "MissionsLab".
We are starting a new ministry after several years serving in various churches, and even before we are "launched" with the new endeavor, I think A18 may be something we want to immediately try to replicate with the venues and efforts God puts on the hearts of the Church in San Antonio.
Thanks to your team for carving out a path with A18!
-mike.
(theSanAntonioStone.com)
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