Each week we feature a devotional, book review or testimony written by a woman in our ministry. It’s Global Missions Week at Johnson Ferry ~ Move Conference! With our focus on missions, we have a “special edition” for this week’s Devotional Spotlight! Yesterday we featured Cara’s devotional HERE and her call to missions in Thailand. May you be blessed in reading today’s story from Michelle Smith!
Missions in East Africa
As I am preparing for the upcoming April Women’s Ministry Mission trip to East Africa that I will be part of, I can’t help but reflect on how different my expectations are for this experience compared to the very first mission trip I participated in 5 years ago.
East Africa ~ 2009
In preparing myself for the first trip, I had become familiar with the devastating socioeconomic factors of the people that we would be serving (such as hunger, disease and lack of clean water and sanitation), and I and was deeply moved by the human need that existed there.
I had seen pictures of the precious children living at an orphanage where would be spending several days, and I couldn’t wait to meet and love on these children who had no mothers of their own. I was excited about the songs, Bible stories and crafts that our team had prepared to share the love of God with the children in the orphanage
Our mission schedule also included a two-day Women’s conference, and we were expecting 200 women from local villages, who would be walking for miles to attend the event. I had listened to and studied the lessons/sermons prepared by the members of our JFBC team who would be leading the main group teachings at the conference (based on “The Steps to Freedom in Christ” by Neil T. Anderson). I was inspired and thankful that we had women on our team with such a strong witness and courage to lead a group of 200 African women through these powerful steps to resolve their personal and spiritual conflicts in Christ. I must admit, however, that I was somewhat skeptical of how credible a group of women from East Cobb would be in teaching some of these topics such as “breaking the generational curses that were commonly passed on in their culture”.
East Africa ~ 2009
I knew at several points during the 2 days, I would be responsible for leading small group break-out discussion with 8-10 women on the topics that were taught, and I was somewhat nervous about this part of the conference. I had prepared my personal testimony and shared it with our team during a meeting prior to the trip, but I just couldn’t imagine what personal wisdom and experiences I (or even other members of our team) might possibly be able to share that would be relevant to these women who endured so much suffering and hardship in their daily lives.
I knew that the primary purpose of our mission trip was to bring these people to know and desire a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and I had learned and memorized the “sinner’s prayer”. But I figured that our trip leader and the more spiritually mature, bible-teaching women on our team would handle most of the actual one-on-one personal discipleship, as many of the women did not speak English and interpreters would be needed to facilitate these discussions. I was energized by the opportunity to be part of this wonderful group of Godly women on our team (most of whom I considered much more spiritually mature in their walk with Christ than me), and was excited about being a part of the many spiritual need-meeting projects we would be working on during our time there.
East Africa Women’s Conference ~ 2009
Our trip prayer guide was very centered on what God would accomplish for His glory through our team, but my personal prayers as our departure date approached focused more on our team’s unity, good health, logistics & safe travels.
One of my responsibilities was organizing the conference gifts prior to the trip, and I also prayed diligently that this would run smoothly.
Here’s what I witnessed during that trip 5 years ago that completely changed the way I have come to understand the purpose as well as my individual role for missions:
- I witnessed women on our team using every opportunity for personal evangelism, starting with the people they sat next to on the plane, and continuing with our drivers, hotel staff and even vendors in the town market.
- I witnessed our team Women’s Conference teachers boldly sharing their testimonies that deeply resonated with the 200+ African women, and realized that these hardships (including stories of abuse, infidelity, and addiction) are universal to women regardless of our backgrounds.
- I witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through our team directly into the hearts of the African women – freeing them from bondage to sin, dealing with bitterness through forgiveness, and even breaking generational curses. Where I had foolishly doubted the impact of the message due to the credibility of women from the US as messengers, I witnessed these African women crying, falling on their knees and praising God.
- I witnessed the power of prayer that transcended language barriers and my own feelings of inferiority to share the message of the Gospel, as I prayed with individual women who came forward during the invitation to accept Christ as their personal savior.
- I witnessed a potential negative situation (shortage of a parting gift planned for conference attendees due to greater turnout than expected) being turned into an amazing opportunity, as necklaces were set aside as a special gift of encouragement for the 80 women who had committed earlier in the day to be obedient to God’s call, and share the message of the gospel and the teachings from the conference with other women in their home villages.
East Africa Women’s Conference ~ 2009
I have had the privilege since that first mission trip 5 years ago, to be a part of teams that have ministered to people in Asia, Europe and Haiti, and I’ve seen the amazing ways that God uses His servants to accomplish His purpose.
So how are my expectations, preparation & prayers different for this upcoming trip?
I will be mindful of and pray for the schedule of events and tasks to be accomplished during our time in Africa, but I understand that the prevailing purpose of our trip along with my primary role is to glorify God and to share the Gospel.
I will of course continue to be broken hearted over the poor socioeconomic conditions and hardships that these people we are ministering to live with each day, but I know how much more God’s heart breaks for those who do not know Him.
I will pray that He will give me the confidence to speak boldly and use every opportunity I am given for His glory – stepping outside of my comfort zone and leaving behind any insecurities and worries about me as the messenger – knowing the Holy Spirit will speak and work through me if I am obedient to His call.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
