Sorry for the long pause in posting. I have been in the re-transition phase. I didn't realize how long it would take for me to get back into the swing of things, but I suppose I'm back.
The trip to the Middle East for our fishing trip was incredible to say the least. When friends ask me what I did for my birthday I tell them I went on a fishing trip. When they ask me where I went, I say the Middle East, and I get that long pause and slow response that sounds like this:
"The Middle East? Where can you go fishing in the Middle East?"I love it. As far as the "Fish" goes, that was pretty much a flop. I caught one fish. Our group caught a total of 7 fish the entire trip and none were very large by any standards. But that is ok. Because, the other part of the "Fishing Trip" was fantastic!
We built so many incredible relationships with some of the fishermen from this country that I am positive will continue to grow from year to year. I am not sure if God's plan for me includes a return trip to this country, but I can say I sure hope so.
I have already heard by e-mail from our travel agent in the country, that these men have been asking about us already. Our travel agent was asked back this week to spend several more days fishing with our friends. He is taking his son with him and they are going to actually live with thse fishermen for a little under a week.
This should be an incredible time of strenthening the new friendships and allowing them to grow in to a bond of trust that will eventually lead to sharing heart to heart.
This is why we went!
This is exactly what the whole trip was about. I see that more clearly now than ever before. We don't live there, but those who do, will be given more respect and possibly an audience that can bring a harvest.
I wanted to go and return with a grand story of seeing lives changed and share that with you so you would know that your investment had tangible results. I wanted to give you numbers.
God had a different plan; the numbers will come in His time, but they could never come unless we were faithful to be available to start the relationship in the first place. So yes! I can report to you that there were incredible results for the investment. Peoples lives
have been changed. relationships have manifested new spiritual growth. Namely in me.
I am the one who was changed for now, and I'm the one who is different because of the trip. My attitude and world view is not the same. People everywhere are in desperate need of the Jesus that can and will change lives forever. But the way we share Him is so much different than the way we share Jesus in the U.S.
Here in the states, we tell people about Christ by sharing our testimony and reading some scriptures and sometimes inviting them to Church to hear a preacher, a speaker, or a musical group do their thing and give an invitation.
But in other parts of the world where it is illegal to proselyte or intentionally convert people to Christianity; and in places where there is not a church or preacher or musical group to do the work, we simply have to live the difference Christ has made in us, in front of them. We have to seek opportunities to express who we are in Jesus when the Spirit of God allows.
We are the preacher, the speaker, the musical group. We are the one used by the Holy Spirit to be available. What a responsiblity. What a priviledge. What a deal.
In this particular country we visited, there is a "Church" that is provided for those who are considered ex patriot, ("Ex- Pats") or those who are not from the country - either there on work visa or otherwise not native to the country.
This is only allowed because the Sultan of the country was educated in a University in England and the sponsoring family that took him in while he was there, was of that particulay denomination. So therefore, out of respect for that family, he allows it to co-exist in His country for ex-pats.
Interesting, how God works. The tolerance level of the Sultan is lowered to a point now, that he allows conversations by his own people about religions other than his own to take place for the sake of education. We should pray that this will be the avenue that propells the Holy Spirit of God to do His work of Changing hearts bringing new life through what Jesus accomplished on the cross. His grand plan is working. He works differently in different places around the globe, but His plan is still working. He is using His church to be the feet and hands of the Gospel message of His Son Jesus Christ to a world that lost and dying and hopeless without Him.
I hope that you will consider going with me this next year. The nature of the trip is "ADVENTURE". We go nearly non-stop while we are in the country. We fish, we tour, we travel from village to village, we meet people and do things that are very young at heart and body too. I swam up wadi's, in underwater caves, jumped off cliffs to pools of water below, slept on beaches, trudged over sand dunes, and even blasted over them in an SUV I thought for sure would fall apart if our tires left the ground one more time. No doubt, this was adventure with a capital "A".
I was tired when I got home, but I am ready to go back again. Will you go with me?
-John
