My 7 Days Spiritual Revolution
I had never planned on taking a whole week to participate in a cross-cultural mission exposure so this was going to be uncharted territory for me. I needed to get out of my comfort zone be challenged.
Travel with Dorcas as she shares her journal from a recent mission exposure to the places where no church exists…yet
I had never planned on taking a whole week to participate in a cross-cultural mission exposure so this was going to be uncharted territory for me. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and be challenged on how I can participate in God’s global mission. I also wanted to experience firsthand how missionaries live in the field. I was looking forward to having enough information to enable me pray on point for missionaries in this particular area of the country and give my resources where necessary.
Sunday
The D- day finally arrived.
The bus was more comfortable than I expected, very suitable for long distance travels. Our team of 6 young adults from ACTIVATE obviously stood out in a bus filled with Muslims. From the look on their faces you could just see them saying “These ones are not our own”. Having your National ID is very important on such trips; the checks by the police along the 7-hour journey were very thorough.
We finally arrived the major town and were shocked by the very hot weather. We traveled further inland to the villages on a bumpy ride with many ups and downs; roads that seemed to be like places where the River Tana had previously flowed or maybe flooded rains but was now dry and thirsty.
The manyattas (thatched make-shift huts) are quite scattered than I expected. It was quite an experience that I do not regret. I am so thankful for everything God has provided for other countries (rains, fertile soils, trees even lands). Thank God that the missionaries heeded to their call to bring the gospel to the unreached places. But more laborers are definitely needed. “Lord help me to align with what you want me to do in relation to global missions.”
Monday
We spent part of the day in prayer. The prayer requests shared by the missionaries for the Somali were too much. They really need to be prayed for; there really needs to be deliverance and salvation for the Muslims.
The missionaries I stayed with are such an awesome couple. They don’t use conventional methods to preach the gospel. I really admire their passion for the unreached. How they believe everyone has a role in global missions and going on a short term mission to the field should be encouraged to enable them give or pray or welcome or send effectively. An exposure trip like this will help anyone relate with what the missionaries are going through because they themselves see the reality on ground. I couldn’t agree with them more. In 24 hours, my entire worldview about missions has changed! They also don’t believe lack of money should not be an excuse for not going into the mission field. What a day!
Tuesday
Obedience is key. Learning to fully trust in God for everything in life; missions is quite awesome! I got to hear the stories of the missionary couple and admired the fact that they already answered the call to serve as missionaries individually even before they got married and how that decision influenced their choice of who they got married to. I was just thinking about how Jesus accepted to die on the cross because of our sins and we as believers are not willing to sacrifice our own comfort to make Him known in the unreached areas. “God help me.”
Wednesday
Today, as I was reading through the Bible, I came across 2Timothy 3:12 “In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. I have to live knowing that I will be insulted, argued with, probably receive death threats, face and endure physical and even emotional and mental abuse just because of following Christ. There are no shortcuts.
Thursday
I wished the time I had to spend here on the frontiers was longer, but either way I had heard everything I wanted to hear and learn. I enjoyed the interaction with the missionary family as well as meeting Yasmin, Nadir and Jabali, some of the Muslims in the local community. This experience has been priceless. I have to plan a longer visit just on my own, a personal one with sufficient time to stay for much longer. Everything I do should bring glory and honour unto God. I discovered that many times we are using our own strength and tactics, hearing our own voices, thinking that it is God yet it’s never the case. Now, I only want to be where God wants me to be.
Friday
Today, we all went on a prayer walk around this city of 98% Muslims. What an exciting experience to pray on site to a God who loves all these lost people. I’d never practiced prayer-walking in my life and it is something worth the keep. Seeing things with a different perspective that originally I might judge wrongly. It sort of opened me up to a different world and view of things. It was an awesome exposure. I also met Mwalimu Alice, a missionary teacher. The way she interacts with her mostly Muslim students was something to behold. I have never experienced anything like this anywhere else.
Saturday
We traveled back safely. Everyone got home well. Thanks be to God. My “what’s next after this?” is to ensure that the commitments I made are incorporated into my day to day activities. The exposure gave me an overview of how things are on ground. A chance to interact with all the missionaries and the unreached communities will always be treasured.
– Dorcas Etyang, a Disciple of Jesus Christ