"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you." Matthew 28:19-20
It was Jan/Feb 2005 that our family first learned of H.O.O.I. and their mission to the orphanages of Hogar de Ninos in the Dominican Republic. It was then that my 11 yr old son, Josh, thought this would be "fun". I thought, if I waited long enough, he'd move on to the next "fun" thing as kids do. Well, this one stuck. So as God would have it, Josh and I made our first mission trip (ever) to La Suiza in San Cristobal, DR. I believe that it was here, in this third world country, that I began to truly see what serving was all about. Sure, I was very involved in church; I did alot of things but in my heart I wasn't doing them for the right reasons.
Notice I didn't say the "wrong" reasons? My reasons weren't wrong, they just weren't what I would now call enlightened. I did them out of a sense of duty, not because I wanted to out of my relationship with Jesus. I know who He was alright, but I didn't know him personally. There is a difference you see. And June 2005 was the beginning of my walk with Him ... but I still had a ways to travel.
It's been 5 years now and alot has changed. Some things better than others, some things easier than others. Alot of wonderful memories and alot of valuable lessons. What's that old adage "there can't be a testimony without a test?" So very true. I've had plenty of tests along the way but all in all I'm glad they came because looking back now, I see that God was growing me, stretching me, taking down personal walls so that I could move forward for Him.
One of the smallest things must have happened a while ago, but I just came to actually realize it just this week: I will now allow myself to sing in the car. Sound stupid? It did to me, but then I thought about it. 5+ years ago I was still listening to country music, etal and every time a car passed me on the way to work or whatever, if I was singing I'd stop moving my lips so the person in the car next to me wouldn't think I was crazy. It sounds extremely stupid now that I look back, but it was true! I didn't like people seeing me sing in my car - even if they couldn't hear me. My faith was the same way back then. I had it to myself or my family, but when someone else came up my lips quit moving. I couldn't let them see or hear me. Then I started listening to Christian music stations and CDs, and before I knew it (which maybe isn't great safety wise)I was so wrapped up in listening to the words of the songs and feeling them in my heart, that I was singing along all the time. I had become oblivious to the looks, fingers and laughter from the cars passing me. I didn't care if people heard me talk about my faith. I was now becoming comfortable in my christian skin.
That's when God decided to kick me up one more notch. Feb 2007 I made my "Walk to Emmaus." I would have to say that renewed me and completed my transformation. I had come from a caterpillar into a chrysalis where I felt safe all wrapped up in Holy love. However, Emmaus broke open that chrysalis and let the butterfly emerge.
Today, I still do alot, but I'm doing it for totally different reasons. I have also learned when to say "not right now". Last year, I had to say not now when I passed on making the DR trip in 2008. God was slowing me down again - intentionally. I worked on the domestic side in 2008, helping to recognize fledgling disciples right here in my own back yard. Now it's time for a recharge again. I find La Suiza to be very "centering" for me. I have a very hard time quieting my spirit to hear what He wants me to hear. Right now, I really need that. God allows me to hear His voice very strongly when I'm there. I thinks it's the simplicity of life and the complete stillness of the nights that allow me to Hear him. The bare walls of a chapel that fill with praise as the boys play their drums and graters to their chant-like songs, all the while wearing big smiles.
So, go and make disciples? I'm sure it's happening for the boys, but I'm even more certain that it's happening for us - the "missionaries." The following creed was shared with our reunion group a couple of weeks ago. This is the Masai Creed - a people of Kenya and Tanzania - and it spoke to me so simply, like the DR does. The Masai Creed was composed in about 1960 by Western Christian missionaries for the Masai people of East Africa. The missionaries were from the Congregation of the Holy Ghost . The creed attempts to express the essentials of the Christian faith within the Masai culture.
We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the earth. We have known this High God in the darkness, and now we know him in the light. God promised in the book of his word, the Bible, that he would save the world and all the nations and tribes.
We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He lay buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.
We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love, and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe.
Amen.
