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<\/p>\nby Dan Jones<\/p>\n
I’ve just returned from a mission trip to Guatemala. Specifically, from the Prince of Peace Home for Girls on the outskirts of Guatemala City.<\/span><\/p>\n There are about 50 girls at the home ranging in age from three to 19 years. They have suffered various forms of abuse, neglect, and degradation I do not need to glorify by calling those sins against them by name. Sin is ugly. Let us not stare into the ugliness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whenever I have gone on a mission trip before, almost everyone wants to know what kind of project will be accomplished. It seems we all have this work ethic that longs to hear that the missionary went to the third world country and built the locals a medical clinic or several brand-new houses.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The fact is people in other countries, (even poor third-world countries) are not stupid, lazy, or incapable of doing the things missionaries go there to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n They are very grateful when we help them do these things, but the idea that because we come from a wealthy country we are somehow better able to “fix” their lives for them is insulting and just plain wrong. In many cases, the way the locals do things is better, cheaper, and more efficient than the way we would do it.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, our little team of seven people did indeed go into a medical clinic and repair some flood damage so that it could be used again. We were happy to do it and it will be beneficial to the girls in many ways, but I didn’t know we would be doing that until we got there –and it’s nothing the staff couldn’t have done for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was told prior to leaving that our primary mission would be to “hang out with the girls.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For some people, that’s not an acceptable “mission” for a mission trip. In fact, there are people who say we ought not to send people on short-term mission trips because the people we’re trying to help would be much better off if we just stayed home and sent them the money it costs to go.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, after about the fifth person asked me, “What will you be doing on this mission trip?” I began to answer, “I’m going to blow bubbles with orphan gi<\/span>rls.” (I had purchased 50 bubble wands on Amazon for $6.99 under the theory that no child in the world hates bubbles. I was correct in that theory, but as it turns out, the recipe I had for making bubble liquid didn’t work with Guatemalan dish soap or I somehow botched the recipe. Fortunately, the orphanage had plenty of bubble fluid already on hand and the bubbles were a hit. See what I mean about making assumptions?)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Flying 2500 miles to blow bubbles with orphan girls is the kind of thing that I can see bringing fits of apoplexy to certain folks on the Stewardship Committee. I get that, and it reminds me of a song I’m sure you’ve heard on Kinship Christian Radio.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God<\/em><\/span> <\/p>\n That’s from “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury and, to me, it’s kind of the theme song of this trip.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The story of the shepherd who has a hundred sheep and leaves the ninety-nine to go find the one lost one is found in Luke 15 and Matthew 18. I lov<\/span>e that God’s love is overwhelming, never-ending, extravagant, and reckless in its intensity. I love that He would leave the ninety-nine to chase me down and save me –because He did. I love that the extravagance, the overwhelmingly ridiculous decision to leave the ninety-nine and search for me makes no sense from a dollars and cents spreadsheet perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But I love that it works just like Jesus said the Kingdom of God would work:<\/span><\/p>\n Then Jesus asked,\u00a0\u201cWhat is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?<\/span>\u00a0It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.\u201d Luke 13:18-19 (NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You see, there is no greater need among human beings than the need to be loved. Kenny and Jessica and Brittany and Sarah and Joshua and Patricia and I\u00a0<\/span>flew all those miles to show those girls that love triumphs over the ugliness they had experienced in their lives previously.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether it was putting on little skits for them, playing games with them, blowing bubbles with them, or just listening to their hopes and dreams and praying with them and for them, we loved them fearlessly, extravagantly, recklessly. We were not afraid to love them, even if it meant it would hurt when we had to go back to the ninety-nine, because we are called to love. We are compelled to love.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But we don\u2019t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other,\u00a0for God himself has taught you to love one another.\u00a0Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers\u00a0throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more. <\/strong><\/span>1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (NLT)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You see, these girls came from families (or what should have been families but were not) where love had been beaten, abused, and left for dead. But, love does not die so easily. The darkness cannot extinguish the light. If the staff of Prince of Pea<\/span>ce and the occasional missionary can show these young ladies the power of a love that is so intense it would heap all of the ugliness of sin of the whole world on the very Son of God and die on a cross to save them, if the power of that cross can be made to live in the hearts and souls of these girls, if the tomb is empty and He is risen indeed just as we will celebrate this Sunday, then these young ladies can someday go on to form good and godly families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The slavery, the horrific ugliness, the distorted, twisted evil can be defeated. And when it is, the cycle of that ugliness that has existed for generations can come to an end. From that tiny seed of love planted in that place at that time, a neighborhood, a city, a country, even the whole world can be changed –because God can use what others intended for evil for good.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the end, we don’t just add to God’s love, we are the clay pots that carry the love that\u00a0multiplies<\/em>\u00a0His love and His glory. <\/span><\/p>\n HALLELUJAH!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And that<\/em> is why we go where we are called.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Today’s Praise<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0There’s no shadow You won’t light up<\/em><\/span> –Chorus from “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Dan Jones I’ve just returned from a mission trip to Guatemala. Specifically, from the Prince of Peace Home for Girls on the outskirts of Guatemala City. 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\nOh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine<\/em><\/span>
\nI couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\nMountain You won’t climb up<\/em><\/span>
\nComing after me<\/em><\/span>
\nThere’s no wall You won’t kick down<\/em><\/span>
\nLie You won’t tear down<\/em><\/span>
\nComing after me<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n