I have recently returned from spending six days on the other side of the country – an 18 hour car ride there, and a one hour flight back. I think it was the most beautiful drive I have ever been on, as this region boasts of some of the most incredible mountains. Yet, as striking as the landscape was, my heart was breaking and become increasingly heavy with each passing hour. But, driving up, down and around the mountains on an unpaved, no guard rail, barely wide enough for one car road, at times, was not what was at the forefront of my mind. We were not on the road long before the site of village after village with the beautiful mountainous backdrop became familiar, but no less impactful. Although I have spent a fair amount of time in various villages during my nine months thus far, I think the sheer number of village we drove through in such a relatively short distance was overwhelming.
Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with dozens of small children playing on the street, out in front of their one-room-mud-brick home. Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with women and kids carrying buckets in their hands and on their heads as they go to fetch water for the day. Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with men out tilling the fields with the help of their two ox, as owning tractors is far too expensive. Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with little or no fresh produce for the majority of the year, as they are so isolated and often unable to leave their village due to avalanches and poor road conditions. Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with young children standing along the road, for hours, with their arms stretched out hoping to sell a handful whatever they have been able to grow in their family’s field. Village…after village…after village…after village…after village with young men, women and children herding their animals across the road and through the mountains in the hopes of finding green pastures for the goats, cows and sheep to graze. BUT, as difficult as it was to see those things, my heart broke because of a much bigger problem.
As we would pass through each village, the reality that few people living in these villages, if any at all, have never even heard about the truth and saving grace found in Jesus Christ constantly circulated through my mind. No one was there telling them about Him. No one. Village after village of lost people. Village after village without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Village after village totally absent of the truth. Village after village of beautiful people surrounded by an incredibly beautiful landscape, yet failing to worship the God who spoke it all into existence. No one is there telling them about Him. No one. From what I could see, living in these villages is not easy – most without running water, without fresh fruits and vegetables, without access to nearby healthcare, totally isolated in the winter months, no thriving economy, mudbrick homes, and void of most modern-day conveniences. It was painfully obvious why no one is jumping at the chance to live among the people in these villages. No one. And then, to think that all these villages and people I saw represent only one small part of this country, region, and world was an even harder reality. They need to hear, and He is deserves their worship.
During one part of the drive, I was listening to a recent sermon from my church, Harvest Oakville. It was part of a sermon series entitled Gospel Advance. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out the links below and allow your heart to be stirred and moved to action.
The Gospel is my Purpose:
The Gospel Comes at a Cost:
The Gospel Cannot be Stopped:
On a very practical level, here are a few more ways you can get informed and be involved with the Gospel advancing in our world.
Also, by way of a quick update, in a few hours I am going for a sleepover in the Gypsy village we have focused much of our time and efforts on. However, this visit will be different from all the other ones over the last 8 months. The couple who leads our small “Gypsy village” team is out of the country for the next six weeks, which means just me and one other lady will be venturing there together. We both are still very much learning the language and culture, but trusting that He will be at work regardless of our weakness and inability. We do have a couple of stories from the Bible we are prepared to share with them, but we will find it challenging being able to lead a proper discussion afterward. Thankfully, God’s Word is powerful and can speak for itself. And depending on if there is electricity or not this evening in the village, we may also watch a movie – most likely the Gospel of John. Please be in prayer us as well as our Gypsy friends over the next 48 hours. After returning from this sleepover on Sunday evening, I will be heading back to that same village Monday morning with one (maybe 2) doctors that are here short-term and wanting to follow-up with a couple of patients they saw this past week in the village. Again, this will be another first for me heading to the village without my teammates. In situations like these, my total inadequacy screams out at me, but I am choosing to trust that in my weakness and insufficiency, by His grace and power He makes me strong (2 Cor 12:9). Please do be praying for this, too. Over the next number of weeks our weekly visits to this particular village will continue, and we would love you to be praying along side of us. On a very practical level as well, please be praying for our physical health, as the weather is now warm here and bacteria is on the rise, which often results in increased sickness.
And lastly, when you have a few moments, I have been able to update my Flickr page with a few more pictures from April and May. You can see them by clicking here.