Sometimes (oftentimes) missionary work includes dealing with more mundane things.
Sometimes you have to say “see you later” to friends, and part of your team loads up their motos and moves away. Sometimes The Beast needs to be repaired and a phone gets stolen and this sidetracks you from the epic four-month ministry road trip you had planned.
Sometimes you have a ton of computer work and paperwork to catch up on. Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) the power goes out for hours right in the middle of your work. Sometimes you wake up to find your water heater leaked all over your closet and now you have to deal with that. Sometimes you shred your knuckle while grating cheese. Sometimes you stay up really late working on reports or talking to friends and family in the states. Sometimes you unexpectedly host friends who come to town to help you with your visa renewals.
Sometimes your website completely crashes while you are on the road and you have to rebuild it from scratch, and you are delayed in getting an update out to your partners and friends (sorry, guys!).
Sometimes missionary work is done not in the dusty limelight of backroads and faraway villages, but in the kitchen, in the repair shop, in front of the computer, in the house, on your knees, in the Word, on the phone, over WhatsApp, face-to-face, at the dining table, listening to problems, with tears, finding solutions, praying through, in town at the City Hall, at the bank, over Zoom, in the office, at the desk, counting cash, logging expenditures, taking notes, making plans, crossing off to-dos, and celebrating the small wins.
Sometimes you have to pivot and change your plans because unexpected things happen. Sometimes you suddenly decide to go to Zambia to connect and worship with your team since the car is in the shop and you are delayed in planning the route.
Sometimes dear friends fly across an ocean to spend time and minister with you. Sometimes you get to preach in a busy marketplace and hundreds of people decide to follow Jesus. Sometimes you sit in a one-room house with a dirt floor and see a marriage restored as you teach about forgiveness. Sometimes you pray for the sick and get to witness the healing power of God right before your eyes.
Life is full of surprises. Sometimes things go sideways. Sometimes things are awesome. No matter what, we give thanks, regroup and move forward. This is life. This is missionary life. And we love it.
Since our last update, we’ve traveled nearly 1,000 miles to the south and west, preached on the streets, in marketplaces, in churches, met with people in their homes, and estimate that about 4,000 people have heard the Good News about salvation through Jesus, the Son of God. It’s really hard to know exactly how many people we have witnessed to and how many hundreds have chosen to surrender their lives to Him.
But we are not in this for the numbers. We are in this to lose our lives for His sake and the Gospel’s sake. We are in this to tell as many people as we can that God loves them, and that salvation, forgiveness, healing, eternal abundant life, and a daily relationship with the only powerful and living God are available to each and every one. We sow the Word, and the Lord brings the harvest. He tenderly loves and counts each and every one.
We thank each of you who faithfully sows into and prays for this ministry. Your partnership changes not only lives, but eternal destinies. We love you.
Next stop: Zambia!