I usually forget to take pictures when I do ministry; even more so with missions where there’s issues of sensitivity with security. Sometimes also there’s ministry going I just didn’t get around to taking much pictures.
But I do want to share stories.
The last time I’ve visited this country I went to has been three years ago. Covid has given us a long pause.
I saw the orphans that our church and some of you supported. The kids, they have grown the last few years! And they should. It is actually a rather small operation compared to other orphanage in other countries largely because of security concerns and limitations of funds (we are the only Western non-native church that support this orphanage). One of the kids is even now taller than me; no big feat if you know that I’m short!
They also added some more kids. One was a brother and sister that really moved me. The mom died and the father is a drunkard that abandoned the kids. The girl was my oldest daughter’s age and maybe there’s something about being a father now but that hit me rather hard. She’s much shorter and smaller than my daughter and the pastor explained to me that she was very malnourished when they first took her and her brother in. But she’s much better health wise compared to the first picture I saw of her a few years ago when they told us they are adding these two kids. She’s growing; praise God!
I thought about the verses on orphans and widows during this trip. Even as I taught on sixteen sessions on biblical parenting my thoughts came to families that are far from biblical ideals; but they are still a family. I thought about the church and our roles and relationships to members’ families. And of course I thought about kids who need an orphanage to care and provide for them. It was neat not only to see physical growth but growth in other areas including spiritually.
The churches, the pastors and the people have spiritually grown since I have last seen them. The biblical knowledge, sanctification and heart warming love was great to witness.
I was traveling in an area where the founder of a major religion was born at. Seeing the country side I wonder often what it was like long ago for this other religion founder seeing people suffering for I see poverty that was far more dire than some of the inner city urban poor area my family lived at in the US when I was a child. And yet the Christians here tells me things are far more difficult in other places away from the area I visited. There’s so much work to do with the Great Commission of sharing the Gospel. And as I heard Christians share their desire to go to very difficult and isolated areas to minister and preach the Gospel I thought about how there’s such a need for Christians to grow spiritually, in order to do the work of the Great Commission.
Which lead me to reflect if I have grown spiritually the last three years. I think so. I think God had to grow me the last three years before I could have taught what I taught on biblical parenting. The last time I was in this other country it was the end of 2019. Who would have known how 2020 was so crazy. I never ministered to so many as I did that year with people going through some of the most difficult of trials. God taught me many things. I’ve been with my church for 21 years, its the only the home church I’ve known and ministry with my church reached its darkest moments in 2020. God was growing and stretching me.
And its neat to know that other Christians have been stretched the last three years and have grown. Which leads me to ask: Over the last three years, how have you grown in Christ?
The Domain for Truth 
Brother Jim, thanks for sharing you experience. What a wonderful ministry.
This is it: “And it’s neat to know that other Christians have been stretched the last three years and have grown. Which leads me to ask: Over the last three years, how have you grown in Christ?”
Shalom!
It is such a joy to read how you have seen growth throughout your ministry in the last three years. The trials of the pandemic and the new world it ushered in certainly have changed me spiritually; the visible evidence being my blog for Him. May our Father God continue to guide us in the trials of this world, that we may serve His Kingdom and be blessed in doing so.
Responding to “The trials of the pandemic and the new world it ushered in certainly have changed me spiritually; the visible evidence being my blog for Him. ”
I see hints from your blog of what you have gone through or are going through. Praise God for His work in our lives! Hope you have a blessed day!
Reblogged this on clydeherrin.
Thank God that He has allowed you to stay with a church 21 years. Also, praise Him for allowing you and the church to minister to widows and orphans.
Amen praise God for the opportunity! May we never forget to praise God for the opportunity to serve Him and opportunity to bless others!!!
God question and one we should all ponder. What changes and why? Is it for our own glory or His? Will it make a difference in our every day life. ? It should.
Great questions! And definitely changes that are true Godly changes should impact our daily lives. Amen to that sister! Hope you are well?
Being a father brings out one’s empathy for others as you mentioned: “The girl was my oldest daughter’s age and maybe there’s something about being a father now but that hit me rather hard.”
Over the last three years we kept following promptings which changed us, spiritually and theologically, to the point that we moved to South Carolina. On the surface that wasn’t much and all the changes were small, but we are not the same people we were three years ago.
Wow you guys are in South Carolina! Our family’s best family vacation was in Charleston South Carolina. It’s an amazing state. Glad God has worked In you to be a different person than three years ago!!!
Always good to ask ourselves this question. I am so happy that you had the opportunity to go back again and reconnect. Happily, I can say that I do see areas in my life where I have grown. Much more growing is necessary though and I am looking forward with earnest expectations that on my next reflection I will be able to see His handiwork yet again!
I’m encouraged to read your comment. We push onwards brother!! So true we need to look forward and look towards Christ! Blessings to you this day
I have been reflecting on this same question. Praise God for you and this ministry to the orphans!!!!
Thanks for reading this and reflecting. And thank you. Messaged you just now via text with my wife
There is so much grace in every word you write, J.
It made me understand a little bit of how churches that Paul ministered to must have felt when they received a letter from him, a ministry update. How many letters were there like that?! We only have the ones the Holy Spirit shared with us in His wisdom. We don’t need any more. But yours shows me how humbling and grateful those church communities must have felt, that the Spirit was moving, that hearts were being changed, that the kingdom was growing, that Christ’s grace was being showered on the helpless, and new converts being fed, that despite persecution our Father still holds in his hand “7000” who haven’t bowed the knee! And not just them, but you, who are being changed from glory to glory through your teaching ministry wherever our Lord sends you, a beloved faithful servant, whose fruits are freely shared with us who read and digest your words on your blog, your letters from afar. Thank you for sharing, for we boast only in what the Lord has done! Hallelujah! May we glean more in the coming days and months by God’s grace. Thankful for you, brother.
Thoughtful comment Dora. Didn’t think about Paul’s epistles; I wonder how he must have missed those churches he planted!!!! Which makes me greatful that in our time we can travel to somewhere in hours and days. May God use us for His grace to be spread!!! Blogs and offline!!!
Praise God that you were able to minister overseas and I pray the Lord uses your teaching there to help souls grow in the Lord, especially regarding parenting! Yup, we all need to think about the status of our relationship with the Lord. My relationship has not been perfect, but the Lord is encouraging me onward.
Glad God is working in you; and in us believers. I imagine today you are off to early work since this is Friday???
RE: off to early work
I’m happy to report that my exit interview was this past Monday and I’m now officially retired. Seems strange that I’m sitting on the couch at home at 7:45AM on a Friday morning. Thinking about all of the slackers at work. How are they going to get this weekend’s orders done without me? Oh well. Not my business any longer.
Wow brother, awesome! Thanks for sharing! A lot of think about as well.
👍👍👍
Hope you doing well, praying for God guiding you
Very touching hearing about the orphan girl
Yes. My mother used to say the older you get the closer to God you must get.
Amen may we be closer to God the more we get older!
Amen.
It’s hard to know sometimes if one has grown. Can we say we are growing when encountering dark or stretching times. Deep valley times . Looking way back those are the things that changed me. Grew me. I believe I grew in the right direction only because I hung on to my relationship with Jesus. So if hanging on to the savior tenaciously is growing, then I have grown the last 3 years. Its a good question and most of us should ask the most honest friend if they have seen growth in us. I deceive myself easily and rate myself better than I deserve.
Responding to “ So if hanging on to the savior tenaciously is growing,”
I think holding to Christ more tightly is the essence of true Christian growth. You are right we easily deceive ourselves…may we cling to Him!!!
[…] Have you spiritually grown the last three years? Reflections from my 2022 Missions Trip — The Doma… […]
The past three years has been difficult but Lord has really stretched and challenged me to pray more. Having more trials has forced me to rely on the Lord and cry out to Him. Every time I had worries or anxieties, that was the time to go through my prayer list and pray for others. God is faithful and hears our prayers. What a joy it is to witness answered prayers!
Amen, brother, sometimes it’s the hardest parts of life we grow th most.