Wow, Is It Really Almost July!?

Wow, is June really almost over?  Has it really been over six months now that Jacinda and I have been living in South Africa?  Is Stella really a little over a month away from her first birthday?! 

Stella coloring at a local daycare center that the recent short-term team visited.

That last one is probably the most amazing.  To think about life without her in it is pretty weird.  I faintly remember a time when I did not have to constantly be looking around for a baby who might be climbing the stairs while trying to sit down and eat a warm meal.  And I faintly remember a time in my life when I could go to the bathroom without an audience.

But in the words of Jim Croce, “Isn’t that the way they say it goes?”

I see Jim.  He looks glorious!  You're my boy, Jim.

The month of June found Doc, Rene, and Dustin Blessman returning from their visit to the U.S. and another short-term team came and went. 

Having teams from the U.S. is always fun.  Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm that so many have for God and for service to others is encouraging and inspiring.  I know of many people that do not like short-term “mission” trips because it promotes the idea that missions is something you only do when you go somewhere else, instead of seeing that Christian “missions” is something that you are constantly doing as a member of the body of Christ. 

I get that and I believe that!  As someone trained to be a pastor I believe that as a Christian I am called to 1) proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ offers salvation to all who believe in him no matter where I find myself and 2) serve those around me with mercy, grace, compassion, forgiveness and love, again, no matter where I find myself.  

The recent team doing an "optical clinic" in a village in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

However, short-term mission trips, in my opinion, are a tremendous tool in the church toolbox to promote growth and discipleship.  It takes a lot of faith and trust in God to raise the funds needed to go on a mission trip, especially an international one.  It also takes a lot of faith and trust to overcome many of the fears (flying, talking to strangers, etc) and obstacles (maybe a physical ailment) that stand in the way.  Does that mean that people who go on mission trips are better Christians?  Absolutely not.  My point is simply that not only has my relationship with God grown in the trips that I have participated in and led, but I have seen tremendous growth in the faith of others, as well.

Last July I was privileged to take the high school youth group from Emanuel Lutheran Church in Lodi, CA on a mission trip to San Francisco.  It was not the most glamorous trip in the world for these students because Lodi is about 2 hours east of the Golden Gate city.  But being exposed to the reality and life of other people so dramatically different than theirs, yet so close to where they lived, I think, had a tremendous impact on how those young people look at the world and the people around them that are all made in the image of God. 

But the best part about that trip was seeing the faith of the seniors in the group just explode (I saw it in the others, too!).  I have to give a lot of credit to the leadership team that was in charge of the whole week.  It was a team of four young adults either recently graduated from or currently in college.  They were awesome.  Their faith stories and struggles in life connected in a powerful way with our group.  But the way that they told their stories and related them to the Bible during that week glorified God and ignited a fire within our group.  I was just along for the ride and I loved every moment of it (especially the pudding episode).  It encouraged me to see the seniors walk away from that trip excited to see what God had in store for their lives.  

I believe that happens here at BMI, too.  I have heard people talk about their experience here and I know that God is making disciples through these trips.  This last team was no different and I was glad to be a part of it.  

She is walking... EVERYWHERE!

So... I am sorry if I did not give a whole bunch of particular information about what we have been up to.  I guess I was in more of a “pastoral” mood hoping to encourage anyone who reads this to check out a mission trip.  See what they are all about.  See it not as something that you can do for God, but as a small step in learning to trust him and have faith in him more and seeing what he can do for you!  

Hope you are all well and enjoying the summer months after such a long hard winter.  Jacinda, Stella and I love you all so much and thank God continually for your prayers and support. 

Yours in Christ,

Matt