Missionary wisdom

    “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17

  On the first medical/dental mission trip to Ecuador that Miriam went on with another church as a translator she encountered several dangerous moments when God kept her safe from harm and also a couple of days where she could clearly see the hand of God guiding the team. One scary moment was the first day! They had landed at Quito and then took a long bus ride up higher into the mountains on a winding dirt road with no guardrails and a steep precipice on the side of the road. As most of the team was asleep around midnight, she was awake and witnessed the driver of the bus steering the bus with one hand around a tight curve and with the other hand putting eye drops into his eye! On another occasion they had boarded a raft to cross a swollen river and as she was standing next to the end of the raft that had no guardrails, they backed a truck to within 6 inches of her face before it stopped.

        But the rest of that day ministering to a tiny village deep in the jungle turned out to be one of the most awesome days of the trip. They had ministered to 3 or 4 villages already and as was the custom they always presented the gospel to every patient prior to them seeing a doctor or a dentist and each person on the team had a gospel bracelet to help tell the story of salvation if anyone asked about the colorful bracelets they were wearing. The local missionary explained to them the night before that they were going to visit a small village that he had been trying to gain access to for many years but had been blocked by the local Catholic priest who had told the mayor of the town that we were a cult. He had been able to persuade the mayor that this accusation was not true, but knew that we would have to tread lightly, so he said that we would only provide medical help and would not present the gospel to each patient. Perhaps at a later time that might be possible but that we would only mention the gospel if someone requested it.

    There was much murmuring and complaining among the team members that night. Each person knew that the medical/dental help was just a vehicle to present the gospel and they were not happy. The next day, after traveling for 2 hours through winding jungle roads and making a river crossing by raft over a rain-swollen river, they arrived at the village school. There were very few children in the school and even less adults in the village as they opened up shop. The principal told them that a lot of people were sick. By lunchtime the team had seen everyone that showed up and the team leader decided they would eat lunch in the village and then depart even though they had planned to work until 4PM.

    Miriam approached the principal and asked her how many children were missing. She said 30, so Miriam told her that they would but together 30 packets of vitamins and crafts for those children for when they returned to school. The principle asked: “Why are you doing this?” Miriam replied, “ We love Jesus and He has called us to minister to the people of Ecuador and it is our joy to do it.”

Before the team could finish their lunch they witnessed hundreds of adults and children coming out of the jungle and lining up for the doctors and dentists. The team quickly jumped into action and before the first patients could be seen several villagers were asking what the colorful bracelets they were wearing meant. Immediately small groups of children and adults were hearing the gospel message

    The mayor explained that the local priest had told the villagers that if they accepted any medical help from us they would be forced to worship the devil so they were afraid. When they heard how friendly and loving the team was they knew it was not true. The mayor even agreed for the local missionary to come back next week and show the Jesus film to the village!

   Miriam was thrilled to see that God had a much better plan than they had had to impact the village for Christ and His kingdom. Even though it did not make sense to not present the gospel initially, the whole team learned the wisdom of listening to the local missionary who knew the situation better than they did and to be obedient to the spiritual leaders who God had entrusted to this part of Ecuador.

     “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

PRAY:

1.     Lord help me to look to You first and to study to know how to talk to others about You whenever the opportunity arises.

2.     Help me to submit to the spiritual leaders You have provided for me in my church and for leading us in the path that You want us to take.

Help me to spend time today in Your Word so that I can know you better and that You can lead and direct my day for me on the path You wish to guide me.