There are times when a team can face some challenges having to adjust and redistribute responsibilities. In all the adversity that our team faced the last two weeks before our Christmas Tours---God just amazingly spoke to the hearts of specific team members to step it up, a couple kids gave an extra weekend and served. A few kids took on these extra responsibilities which didn't show case their natural talents or gifts.
It just gives me joy that they have learned the truth about servant leadership & ministry. Our theme this year is: "It's not all about me" It's about JESUS. The genuine truth is real ministry is simply meeting the need! What a powerful lesson these young people have grasped and are applying to their will, and lifestyle. How powerful would the body of Christ be if we all practiced this simple principle.
Thank you to all of our Friends, we hope and pray that you truly experienced the power of Gods' love during your Christmas Season. We appreciate your faithful friendship, prayers and gifts. We will continue to lift you and your home and church up in prayer.
Immediately, after we launched our evangelistic outreaches during December I received word that my Step-father, Carl Johnson, wasn't feeling well. He simply said, "I have a little tummy ache". I believe one of the greatest challenges a missionary faces is "being present" for your stateside family when they are in need. My parents are elderly and have aged. My mom was put into a "care facility" in October and Carl was visiting daily being the unselfish husband he was.
Life happens and the outcome of a day can turn on a dime without notice. There can be moments of a instant gasp of air for you to breath and there can be moments of shock, or silence when you hear over the phone a loved one has less than a month to live. When I heard the doctor say, "he has about a month maybe....but he will need hospice and someone to stay with him". I began to make the plans to return home--during that process the Lord saw it best to take his spirit into his presence--before I was able to make it home. He went peacefully with great hope.
So Christmas & New Years were difficult for my family and close friends. Quite a bit of changes--I'm grateful for the Assemblies of God World Missions, granting me the time to go home and get my parents estate in order. I'm grateful for the friends who stepped up--there are times when you can only breath. So many people around me lent me their strength in "meeting the need" this time the "the need" was me.
Now we are back in full swing with events coming up that involve reaching orphans and serving Teen Challenge. My prayer is that we continue to focus on the lost and "being present" as orchestrated by God Himself.
