a week of hanging with partners from around the world

This has unofficially been Missionary Connection week, at least at my house.

We got to hang out with some new friends who are working in Eastern Europe for a couple of days this week.  They shared about how the Bible is being translated into all sorts of languages, making the Word of God accessible to people who have had no version in their native tongue.  Cameron Townsend, the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators said: The best missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue…

I’ve mentioned Bret Mavrich a couple of times here on the blog.  Bret and his lovely wife Brandi are on staff with IHOP (think Prayer, not pancakes) in Kansas City.  It was Bret’s idea to create the Arts Fest Altar, and under his leadership the Altar got off to a great start in Happy Valley last week.  Bret used to work with us in student ministry here in SC, is an amazing drummer, and (even better) is a whole-hearted worshiper.

Tonight a bunch of us had the pleasure of connecting with Danilo and his wife Celeste, friends from the Dominican Republic.  Danilo is the director of the Rose of Sharon Orphanage.  Calvary has been involved with Rose of Sharon for more than a decade, with Brooks and Sharon Way leading the charge.  We ate supper together, then Danilo gave us an update on things at the orphanage.  I have been going to the DR to work with these folks since 1999, and my heart is pulled to the DR.  In fact, God used the boys there to prepare me for adoption!

This weekend PrayMyanmar is hosting the Myanmar Experience, an interactive event to help us understand what life is like in Myanmar.  Calvary has a strong presence in Myanmar, and I’m looking forward to taking my kids to the Myanmar Experience.  I want them to be aware of the need to take the Good News about Jesus to people who don’t know.  I’m thinking that some of my children might even end up leaving America to serve the Lord on other continents!

All this talking and hanging out with folks who are serving Jesus in other parts of the world is exciting.  But the thought that keeps rolling around in my heart and mind is that there are plenty of people in Happy Valley who don’t really know Jesus.  They may have some ideas about who he is, but they don’t love him, don’t have a relationship with him.

I’m praying that the Lord will pour his Spirit out on Happy Valley, that people’s hearts will be turned to Jesus.  And I’m going to be more intentional about looking for opportunities to tell them the Good News.