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Artistic map of Tanzania
Like many before us and many after us, we’ve begun our life-changing journey into full-time missions. I don’t take this lightly. There is a vast history of people who have paved this road, making it a light task compared to what it once was. Our generation and future missionaries are in their debt forever.
Isaiah Road is named after Isaiah 6:8 where God asks for someone to go for Him and Isaiah responds with “Send me.” Now on the road Isaiah once was, Miranda and I are on a journey to make God’s name known throughout the earth.
I think it’s odd that the first question people usually ask is something about disease or danger. Because of American comfort, that’s the first thing that comes to our minds. “You might get dirty!”
This comfort is even being driven into my unsuspecting 2 year old everyday. When she falls, she holds up her hands and says, “Messy mommy!”
Behind all the hype, adventure, mystery and intrigue there must be a tangible reason to voluntarily place myself, and my family, through something so messy as this. There is.
Telling someone about Jesus Christ who has never heard before.
There it is. The reason for the madness. I’ve shared the Gospel with many people and I’ve never had someone look at me and say, “Who is Jesus?”
Our culture needs Christ, that’s for sure, but ask your friend who doesn’t believe, “Why?” They’ll give you a reason, and from that point on, you are only trying to convince somebody to believe something that they’ve already chosen not to believe.
I’m not advocating that everyone in America has all the facts and have based their choices on substantial evidence. I’m simply giving a reason why I’m willing to risk everything to go to Africa. People need to be given a chance.
Think about all the men and women through history that have gone on before us and the sacrifices they’ve made for us to be here today. The forgotten victories and unappreciated generosity all gone like the vapor that was their life.
Who remembers the hundreds and thousands that leave their homes and families to plunge themselves into a world of despair and loneliness? Most of them we’ve never known or even heard of. They’ll never be in a tabloid or in our daily conversations, even if God calls them to martyrdom, we’ll most likely never know about it.
Their reason is simple. They believed what the Word says about Heaven and Hell, and that people were dying without hearing the Good News—making their journey a race with life and death. The longer we take to get missionaries out to these countries, the more people go to hell.
Here’s an idea. Let’s leave behind several well-trained and God-centered pastors to care for our cities—the rest of us get on a plane and go!
If you’re not a goer, you’re a sender. Let’s spread the Word.
Our pastor recently preached a mini-sermon on supporting missionaries.
It was an analogy of someone going down a well on a rescue mission, and having the support team being the ones to lower or raise them in and out.
A rescue mission is a good way to describe what we are doing. We are traveling to the other side of the world to save people.
This graphic is inspired by that message. I didn’t have the time to make the person going into a well (that would be very complicated), so I just made him going off a cliff.
It’s just a good visual to see how valuable you, as a supporter, are to us.
We are back from our Candidate Week at A.I.M. Headquarters in New York. We are now officially appointed missionaries with Africa Inland Mission. Thanks to all who took part in sending us either by finances or prayer. The last 10 days have been jam-packed with learning, traveling and fun. We are exhausted and still recovering from our 4-hour-delayed-flight into MSP at 3am. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t been sick since Saturday morning or needed to get up for work early Monday morning, leaving me with only 4 hours to sleep (No I didn’t sleep on the plane).
Monday morning we arrived in Pearl River, NY to begin Candidate Week. Our schedule was very busy—everyday we’d wake up for breakfast then begin a day full of lectures, workshops, interviews, counseling sessions and speakers. Being around veteran missionaries was so encouraging, and learning about life in Africa was such a blessing that we came away very hopeful that we have what it takes to complete this incredible journey God has put in front of us. While we were occupied, the children were learning about God, creation, Africa, animals and what it’s like to live in an African culture. Thailie had a blast with the kids and loved her teachers.
On Friday Miranda decided to check our bank to see if we had enough money to visit The Big Apple, but to her surprise we were negative several hundred dollars! After calling the bank, she found out someone had purchased a $710 plane ticket from Virgin America with our debit card. The bank and Virgin America said their customer services departments wouldn’t be open until Monday, leaving us no money to visit the city or get home. We probably could have made it, except we checked 2 bags costing us $50. To get home we needed at least $50 plus food. Many people jumped to our rescue offering food or money. One candidate gave us enough cash to cover our way home. (Thanks Steve!) Don’t worry, the bank said they’d take care of it and we’ll be back up and running in no time!
The Staff considered us family the moment we stepped on the grounds, and that was tested with our financial situation and sickness. They were so generous with their time, abilities and hearts. They never treated this week or us like we were a burden or just another task. The Organization is so, well … organized! They are equipped to take on monstrous tasks. Ie. Providing travel details, visa paper work, itineraries, paying bills, doing taxes, counseling, caring for and keeping track of hundreds of missionaries, plus too many other things I could never list due to space and time. The Missionaries were so real and transparent. They really listened and cared about our futures with or without A.I.M. They shared their struggles and joys on the field and willingly answered a million questions from us hopefuls.
Miranda, Thailie & Mat
Candidates discussing the class after a session with Paul Gazan.
Lunch time
The candidates got to pick the brains of the missionaries who attended.
Adults and kids playing games.
May 23rd our church let us share about AIM and Candidate week. We made the official announcement that we are going to be missionaries and asked them to support us and send us off to candidate week.
Previously they had taken two offerings for other couples in need and one was $500, the other $800. We needed $2300. I was hoping for $1000 but expecting $500-800.
My faith with our raising support has been shaky ever since we tried to raise $11,000 to go to Guatemala. We ended up only receiving about $3000, even after sending out 200 newsletters. We only have a month to raise our money this time, so needless to say I was worried. To top it off, Miranda asked me not to send out letters about Candidate week, but that we’d send one after we return to share our experience.
That Sunday there were about 60 people in the audience and I shared what we are doing and showed a video promoting TIMO. I was nervous and it didn’t go well by our standards. When we were finished Pastor Daniel took up an offering.
After the service no one came up to me, asked about what we were doing or took a brochure. This bothered me especially because our church is so friendly and talkative. Right as I was leaving 2 friends on mine came and took a newsletter, and one said he would give online. That made me feel a little better. One the way home I told Miranda, “If the response from people is any sign of the offering, we will need to start getting on the phone and sending out letters.”
Later that day my other pastor, Dave, called and asked when we would need the money by. I told him we can pay at the time of registration when we arrive in New York. “Okay, so we’ll have time to raise more money,” he said. My heart sank into my feet. “Yeah we have a month to do what we can to get the money,” I replied. “Good,” he said, “Cause the check was only $2353!”
It took a second to sink in, but when it did I became very overwhelmed. Contrasting this to the Guatemala experience and the size of our church body made it all the more sweeter. I was about to cry, but since I’m a man, I gained my composer and finished the conversation.
Dave asked, “Did I get you?”
“Ha! My heart was in my feet,” I told him.
I thanked him extensively for allowing us to share in front of the church.
Having expressed my doubts to Miranda many times before that Sunday, she told me she would pray that God would provide in such a way that I would have to believe it was Him and not my own charisma (which was obvious) or just a coincidence.
I would expect that to come from a church of thousand people, but we are a very small congregation. God showed up in a big way and let me know that He wants Miranda, Thailie and I to go to Africa—and that’s exciting.
Thanks to all who prayed for us and gave. You are a part of our team.
Mat
The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily
reflect those of Africa Inland Mission International.
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