A Little Bit of Adventure

M

Here is a little tidbit about my recent trip to Bolivia. I was there with a team from Cup of Cold Water Ministries for 10 days (July 3-13). 

"My eyes were heavy. It had been nonstop travel and ministry for six days. I was finally feeling it catch up to me. My team and I sat on benches outside of a clay and mud house with a straw thatched roof, in the typical Bolivian style. The pastor stood in front of us talking over the purr of the generator we brought along with us. One of the men had carried the heavy thing up 31 miles, along the Tuichi River deep in Northern Bolivia. 

“We don’t want you leave.” “We didn’t think it would be possible for you to come.” Were some things the pastor said. I don’t think I will ever realize the significance that visitors carry when they visit Mojos. This was a tiny village high in the beautiful Andes mountains, right in the clouds. Picturesque. Untouched by civilization. Visitors were a treat.

I wondered during my time there what it was I could even share with these people. What do I have to give? Beanie Babies? Do they have a lasting effect on the Kingdom? Coloring pages? Skits about the Good Samaritan? I am skeptical at times at the Western idea of short term missions. Often people of other countries view Americans as vending machines, gringos distributing lollipops and healthcare along with a faint, “Jesus te ama (Jesus loves you).” 

These past months I have been meditating a lot on Christ’s love, and how what He did on the cross for us compels us to serve and die to ourselves. With my trip to Mexico coming around the bend (I leave August 3, 2014) I didn’t think it would be wise to go to Bolivia. But I felt so compelled to go. God made it ever so clear; he provided everything I would need to go. I couldn’t turn my back on the people of Mojos or the team I would be a part of.

So there I was sitting in Mojos on our last night there, pondering my skepticism about the ministry we had done and my seemingly incurable gringo-ness. Pondering the words that the emotional pastor was saying. I left Mojos still wondering if I had let God down. I left Bolivia four days later still wondering, “Did I do enough?” 

As someone who is called into full time missions, I am beginning to sense a trend. I often wonder, “Did I do enough?” I place a lot of the burden on myself. I don’t give the Holy Spirit enough room to work. I was compelled to go to Bolivia! I am compelled to go Mexico!  Isn’t that enough to know that He will work in and through me, in spite of me? The same goes for all of us; the Holy Spirit has given each of us a ministry, something we are compelled to do. 

It meant a lot to the village of Mojos that we came, that we hiked 62 miles round trip to this tiny village. It meant a lot to my team that we hiked to Mojos, Christ’s love compelled us to.  They will remember it forever, the Beanie Babies will be a reminder. My team will remember it forever; the blisters will be a reminder. I will remember it forever. God’s never-ending faithfulness will be my reminder. 

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died.” 2 Corinthians 5:14"