I have scoffed at the calling to missions abroad for a few years.

I read a book last year that declared that the Bible demands us to make disciples of all nations by leaving our very own country and speak to those elsewhere. The author scoffed and scolded those of us who have no umph and make “excuses” to stay put inside our comfortable bubbles called the Unites States of America.  He implied that we weren’t being proper Christians by sticking to one place.

In turn I scoffed at him. People need us, period. Foreigners and locals all need to hear the Gospel or truth and feel the Gospel of love. All people. Local missions are equally important to fulfill the great commission. Why tell us that we aren’t doing the Lord’s work if we don’t own a passport?

Lately I have stopped scoffing. We have participated in local missions in several states over the years while still comfortable in our boarders. Through shoe box outreach and monies overseas we place our hopes in the local missionaries to use our resources wisely. Our hearts and words are left at local street corners with hundreds of other local missionaries trying to reach the lost.

Thinking that children and elderly overseas get our left over clothes and goods hasn’t sat so well with me lately. A shoe box here and a dollar there may help, but presence speaks so much louder. They need to know that their stories go beyond their own villages to the point that people not only want to help with a paid meal, but want to invest time in sharing their lives. They need to feel the love from our own work and hands in a tangible and real way. They need our presence.

ISAIAH 6:8 

AND I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD SAYING, “WHOM SHALL I SEND, AND WHO WILL GO FOR US?” THEN I SAID, “HERE AM I! SEND ME.”

I was inspired by a small pair of earrings. They were made by a woman in Zambia. She set herself up with help from a local mission to create a sustainable living for her and her children. My heart soared when I heard that a mother was fighting against the culture and society in which she found herself living. and through the love of the Christians in her village she found hope. As a mother, I wept with excitement for her and found myself wanting to do more than just buy her earrings, I wanted to work along side of her and disciple her through the entire process. Her story matters to me.

People need us. On our street corners and in the filthy orphanages overseas, people are calling out for hope. Our hearts and minds need to be inspired to reach out of our comfort zones and move when the Lord says to move. We need to go when He nudges us. Fear should not propel us to stay when others are there to take our places.  When we ask to be sent, we need to go when He calls.

Join me as I track through 31 days of free writes with my Five Minute Writing Community. Today’s theme: INSPIRE.  For more posts, please click here.