Mark 10: 13-16
"13. And they kept bringing young children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples were reproving them for it. 14. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me--do not forbid or prevent or hinder them--for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child does positively shall not enter it at all. 16. And He took them (the children up one by one) in His arms and fervently invoked a blessing, placing His hands upon them."
Shortly after we returned from New Orleans, our mission team began making plans to go back to Mexico. It had been two years since I had felt the first stirrings in my heart for a mission trip south of the border, and this time I was determined to go. Once again, I began listening to my Spanish CD's and was horrified to discover how much I had forgotten. The language gradually started coming back to me, but I felt like a novice and did not feel confident about it at all. I didn't realize it at the time, but that was the first of many stumbling blocks the enemy was setting up for me as I prayerfully began my preparation for Mexico.
I managed to get my passport renewed and started saving up money for the trip. There was to be about 10 of us going, adults and college students, and we would be driving a large van across country and to Piedras Negras, Mexico, just across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. "You know you are going to be very car sick the whole time," whispered a little voice in my head. Ok, so I would claim the shotgun position in the front seat and take my Bonine. "You really don't have enough money to do this, you know," the voice whispered again. Ok, Lord, I need several hundred dollars to finish paying for the trip. It's summertime and I have no income. Maybe I shouldn't be going. "Clean out your closet," commanded a different voice. My closet?
I obediently cleaned out my closet and while going through an old purse found $300 cash rolled up in a side pocket. Guess what I owed for my balance for the trip? You got it. $300.
Ok, Lord, I'm going, I'm going! No more arguments from me...
About three weeks before the trip I was out of town with friends at St. George's Island. I was sitting out one night looking at the water and the millions of stars overhead and my phone rang. It was my friend, Randy, our mission team leader with bad news. Almost everyone had dropped out of the trip. All that was left was me, Randy, his son Aaron and a young college girl named Maggie. Our pastor was concerned that it would not be appropriate for just the four of us to take off cross-country. It might be viewed in the wrong light by people in our church and we needed to reconsider. I was heart-broken. Randy promised that he and his wife, Katherine, would work on some other options and he would let me know. Stumbling block!
We began to pray about the trip and asked God to give us direction. Thankfully, we were able to take the money that had been set aside for the van and gas and put it toward plane tickets to San Antonio and a car rental. That alleviated the problem of spending the night on the road and actually gave us two extra days to work in Mexico. Thank you, Lord, for Your provision!
As the date for our departure approached, I had lunch one day with an old friend whom I had not talked to in months. I excitedly told her about my mission trip that was coming up in a couple of weeks. I noticed the expression on her face as I began to describe where we were going and what we were going to do. "You can't go there!" she exclaimed. "Why not?" I asked. "It's too dangerous," she told me, "You need to talk to my sister-in-law, Beth."
Beth is the youngest daughter of my mentor, Judge Robert Walther, with whom I used to attend church. Beth works for the DEA, and most recently, was the agent-in-charge of Arizona and an expert on the drug cartels in Mexico. Apparently, we would be driving straight into a cartel stronghold in North central Mexico. My friend, Lisa called Beth, as promised, and made me listen to her explanations about why we shouldn't be going at this point in time. Beth had even called her counterparts in Houston and El Paso and they agreed that it would be too dangerous. Stumbling block upon stumbling block! Now what?
I immediately called Randy and told him of my conversation with Beth. We had already bought the plane tickets and needed to make a decision. Frankly, I was scared to death, and felt very confused. Why was God allowing all these difficulties to come against us? Weren't we following His bidding? Weren't we attempting to be His hands and feet? I even felt a little angry and frustrated. Ok, God, I'm being obedient and You are not making this easy!
Once again, we turned to prayer and did a little reconnaissance of our own. Randy checked with the mission team coordinator and one of the missionaries who actually lives there as well as his own daughter who frequently travels there. It had been peaceful and the attention was currently on the flooding of the Rio Grande. We had to exercise caution and not be careless as to time of day and place of travel. In other words, use common sense and stick together. Don't go wandering off by yourself at night or in areas known to be dangerous. Same advice you would give to someone going to New York or downtown Atlanta. So, once again it was a go! This time, however, I felt an uneasiness I had not felt before. But I was still determined to go. I believed God wanted me there for a reason; I just didn't know yet what that reason was...
No comments:
Post a Comment