Mission Trips and Trusting God


My son heard our church announce a mission trip and tugged on my sleeve, "Mom, he whispered, get the information."  Each week for 3 weeks the same scenario played out.  In between the weeks he'd remind me and I would assure him I would get the information, but things would get in the way and I'd forget to ask.  The third week he once again tugged hard on my sleeve.  After church he brought the pastor to me, so I could "get the information." He wasn't taking any chances of me getting side tracked.

On the way home he shared with me that he really wanted to go.  He sat in the back seat and looked at me through the rear view mirror and said, "Mom it's like a calling, it's like it's calling to me.  I need to go.  I want to be a missionary and this would be a good first step."

I saw the obstacles.  First of all he's very young.  All of 10.  Second he couldn't go alone, so we'd have to get funding for him and one of us, his parents to go with him. Third the cost, 450 for lodging and food per person and 500 for a plane ticket.  That's 950.00 a person.  Let's face it, I'm a home-school mom, we have one income, my husband's, and we don't have a couple grand lying around waiting to go on a mission trip.  Then there was the obstacle of getting passports, as we've never been out of the country.  Well I went to Canada and Mexico as a kid, but back then you didn't need a passport, you just drove across the border and they asked if you had any fruit in your car.  Then there's the fact that he'll need to get immunized... and the lists of obstacles go on and on in my mind. Then fears creep in, is it dangerous...what if...

Then I see his face, and his earnest look, and hear him saying, "It's like I'm being called," and I remember the promise. Long before he was conceived my husband called me up after praying and being in the word of God and said, "I believe we are going to have a son, and his ministry is going to be blessed from a young age." I held on to that message, and 3 miscarriages and 1 daughter later, God gave us that son and we named him a name that means the LORD keeps his promises, and I wondered will he have a ministry God? Did you give that message to my husband LORD? What will this little one's ministry be? Then I watched as he memorized scripture better than any of us could.  I watched as he became a deep thinker, keeping me up late at night to talk about what he thought certain scriptures meant.  I watched as he read the Bible all on his own and fell in love with Revelation.  I watched as he assured me that if God wanted him to go on this mission trip, this year he would make a way.  I told him, "Buddy, we have a really short deadline.  I don't know that we can make that much, just remember son, if we don't make it this year, we'll keep saving until you can go, maybe another year."  He nodded, but then he said, "God's able to do it, even if we have a short deadline."   What do I say to that.  Of course God is able.  Of course he can do it.

Then I watched as my son cleaned our friend's house who was moving away. I saw him call all of his grandparents and friends and tell them this year for his birthday, which is a few days away he didn't want gifts he wanted money toward a mission trip. I watched as he took all his allowance, and all his fair earnings and put them toward this mission trip. I watched as people offered to help do a bake sale. I watched as money started coming in. 50 here, 30 there.  I watched as he counted it up and told me, "Look mom I almost have enough for my plane ticket!"

Then today we got a card in the mail. It was from a lady we've never met. She met my step mother at a Curves fitness center in another state, and heard about my son. She sent him a card for his birthday with money inside.  When I read her note I wanted to cry.  She wrote, " When I heard your desire for ministry and service for God, God placed a command within me to send you money to bless the ministry which He has called you to. Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Matt 6:33, Walk in His statutes and keep his commandments (anything he asks you to do) and perform them, then he will give you rain (favor of his wisdom) in its season (as he wills) the land shall yield it's produce (you will be fruitful where he sends you) and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit (those he places in your path will hear His words from your mouth and thereby begin to share the gospel as well) Lev 26:3-4

As I read those words I was reminded that if God is calling my son, even at the age of almost 10 to ministry, he will provide.  He will make the path straight, and I was amazed that he was already using other people, we don't even know, to remind us that he is in control of all things, he can use whomever He wants.  It amazes me that a lady who has never met my dark eyed, funny, sometimes naughty son was touched by his desire and contacted us.  Isn't it amazing how God works.

After reading her card and making another deposit in the bank. We got a call from my father in law.  He has a friend that was hoping we'd set up a Go Fund Me page, as he wants to support my son going on this trip also.  I want to cry thinking of these strangers, yet fellow brothers and sisters in Christ desire to support my son.  So we went a head and set up this go fund me page.  God's using all of this to remind me of his love and his power, that they can over come all obstacles and all fears.

He has worked, saved and raised $416.00 since July 8th.  That's only 2 weeks and a couple days!! I can't believe how much God has provided in this short time.  Yet to go in October we have to be fully funded by August 1. To me it seems impossible, yet I'm reminded that nothing is impossible with God.

 For him and one of us to go will cost $1900.00.  So we still need to raise $1484.00.  If we raise that amount by August 1 we will be going in October to Oaxaca Mexico. If not we will continue to save and sell things and go in the future.  Our church has missionaries we support there.  They do things like language schools, pastor training, church building and they have a sewing center that has become an amazing place of work for many of the native women. The work they do is sold in the states, called The Fancy Feather.  This trip would be one that combines a VBS type teaching for children, with a time of rebuilding areas destroyed by the earthquakes.


It is heavy on my son's heart.  I know not why, or what awaits him there, all I know is to be faithful to whatever God calls you to do. So I ask for you to pray for us.  Pray for him and all that God is doing in his heart. I want to thank you brothers and sisters for helping equip my son in this journey of faith with Jesus. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

1 Timothy 4:12 Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 



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