We had a wonderful report Sunday morning from our team that went to Colombia for a short term mission project back at the end of 2011. It was a real blessing to hear the team, from youngest to oldest, speak of how God had taught and moved them about the real physical, emotional and spiritual needs abroad. Each team member expressed the humbling nature of going to serve and seeing in person both that there are needs worldwide and that God is moving worldwide.
Personally, the richest portion of the testimony was hearing of how the family that once was present as a local member of our body and is now a foreign member of our body, serving full time in Colombia, is impacting lives in another culture. God is receiving glory because this family is not impacting lives by pressing American culture on the people, but rather living a Godly life in the midst of these peoples and preaching Christ crucified and raised from the dead and discipling through biblical teaching applied in daily life applications. Something as simple as asking a local man to consider taking his son with him to work on a side job in a culture where boys do not interact with their fathers as they are often left to grandparents for their daily training can change a generation.
We need to teach sound doctrine, we need to preach the gospel, we need to care for the needs of the hurting, we must have the strength and ability that comes from a Sovereign God so that He is glorified in all things. I am so thankful for the testimony of faithful brothers and sisters, for those willing to serve both at home and abroad, for a loving God that turns the hearts of a sinful nature to Himself and uses those sinners to accomplish great things for His glory. May we all continue in the faith, hold fast to the Truth, love God with all our being, love one another, and live according to the purpose for which we were created, for God's glory as we proclaim the gospel and live lives according to the calling for which we have been called as God gives us strength.
Rich blessings and much love to our brothers and sisters around the world, and to our dear friends in Colombia.
It is a great thing to minister to, and BE ministered to, our brothers and sisters in other nations. Building communication and fellowship is a blessed, blessed thing.
ReplyDeleteJust fyi, it's "Colombia," if you're refering to the South American nation.
Duly noted and revised, thanks for picking up on that. It was Colombia, South America.
ReplyDelete