"He Is No Fool..."

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." – Jim Elliot

One of the things that God is doing in our lives this year is exposing us to more global missions works. We are thrilled at the doors He is opening for our family to see, firsthand, what it means to serve Him abroad. We are thankful for those who have given up so many comforts that we enjoy here in the USA to share His love with so many around the world.

God opened doors for our 14-year-old son, Michael, to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip with Operation Christmas Child to deliver shoeboxes to the children in Ecuador. He and Mike left on Monday and will return tomorrow night with stories that have changed their hearts and lives. This is what they shared in an email with us early this morning:

Last night we got home from the distributions around 6 and dinner and the program started at 7. The program consisted first of the Ecuador National Leadership Team from OCC – all nationals. It is just unbelievable how Samaritan’s Purse doesn’t swoop in and take over, but instead finds pastors and churches to work with and utilizes them for the work of their own ministry. Over 30,000 children have graduated from The Greatest Journey project in just two years. Over 1,300 nationals have been trained in how to lead this 12 week study. For 2012 their goal is to double this. Overwhelming!

Then the big suprise came. The men who are leading the ministry to the Huaorani tribe in the jungle presented the work that is going on there to these people who just a generation ago knew nothing of God. THEN two of the men who speared Nate Saint and Jim Elliot walked in. Short little men, in their eighties, who then shared in their language the story of the killings, which was then translated into Spanish, and then into English. I video taped it all. Michael and I then got our pictures taken with them!

If you are unfamiliar with the story of the five missionaries to the Auca Indians back in 1956 you can watch the power of the gospel unfold in the full-length film called The End of the Spear.