Since Kirsten and I have returned from India, we have had some interesting things develop. Before I go into them I need to give some history. In December of last year our church, Salem Evangelical, announced that there would be a mission trip to Honduras in March of 2009 during spring break. Both Kirsten and I felt that there was something to this (when you get that "feeling" or prompting from the Holy Spirit). So we attended the first team meeting for the trip. But falling back on my worldly reason, I convinced Kirsten that it would put too much strain on our finances if we went to Honduras as well as India only 2 months later (we had been planning on India for nearly a year prior). So we stopped attending the team meetings and focused our attention on India. I was not following where God was apparently leading.
Well March rolled around and that little "feeling" rose up inside me (and Kirsten) again. It was made obvious to me that I had been disobedient to God's calling. The week before spring break we got our IRS tax refund back. It just happen to be more than enough to have paid for our trip to Honduras with some left over. Later that week both of our cars broke down and we ended up having to spend all of our refund on our cars. Bummer. We were counting on using the refund to finance part of our India trip! So here we were with enough money to have gone on the trip to Honduras, but instead did not go, drove our cars all week, they broke down and then had to pay to fix them. If we would have been in Honduras none of that would have happened!
But God is faithful. With $1,650 to raise in the last week before our May India trip, the God of miracles provided $1,700 - the day before we left! We were in the overflow, both financially and spiritually. That provision from the Lord reminds me of when Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38) Here we were, giving of ourselves in every way to serve Him and the Lord poured it into our laps. Even though I was disobedient to Him, it was past. I repented of it, received forgiveness and the Lord blessed me yet again.
Fast forward to today... Since returning from India, it was made obvious by the Lord that the doors were closing on us going to India long-term. The doors had also closed on the ministry we went to India with as their focus is primarily India. But the "call" has been confirmed and stronger than ever. So where to go from here? Who to go with? Until recently, yesterday in fact, this seemed blurry. But the Lord had put a desire and prompting yet again on my heart for a Spanish culture. So in obedience (I learned my lesson) I started looking at various organizations that served in Latin America. There are many. So this just added to the blurriness. A few had specific roles that I would fit into, but not any that felt right. Until yesterday.
My church missions director, Lee, and I met last night after a training course that my church puts on for volunteers every August. We were discussing missions organizations, and Honduras came up again. He mentioned something about a missionary couple who already serves there that is supported by my church. But they are needing help. That raised my interest. This couple is Chico and Kathy Chicas. They were introduced to Kirsten and I when we first started attending Salem Evangelical in the summer of 2007. They had gone out just months before and are supported by the Sunday school group we are involved with. So since that introduction we have since felt prompted to pray for them. Lee then went to tell me about the details of what they do there in Honduras. It's as if it was tailor made for Kirsten and I! It puts chills up my spine just thinking about all of the details that fit together so perfectly.
So prayerfully, I will consider going with Lee to Honduras this fall for a pre-trip to a short term trip to Honduras planned for February 2010. We are expectant of what the Lord will do through us and for us and are excited to be a part of His plans.
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