When we committed to going on this mission trip to Honduras, we knew from previous experience that there are several things that need to be done in order to make it happen. One of the first things that has to be done when planning/preparing is to send out THE LETTER. The letter is a way to provide information as to what we are doing, to corral prayer warriors, to request financial supporters … and also, for us, it’s one more way to share our faith and encourage others to respond to the call to be on our Great BIG GOD Team!
We know that sending the letter is risky, … that it exposes a part of us that not everyone wants to see or know about. It takes a huge step of faith! When we compile the list of everyone we know and all the people we come in contact with, there are always people who we ponder over or think we should leave out … mainly because of our uncertainty of their reaction. We know that there are some who have very negative perceptions to this sort of thing and even view the letter as solicitation for the world around us to pay for us to go on “Vacation”. There are some that we know that do not believe what we do and take offense to our overzealous enthusiasm. There are some from whom we just don’t feel comfortable sharing that we are in need of financial support. That’s okay! The work of the LORD is not always comfortable and easy and so we sent out our letters … even to those of whom we were just uncertain. From experience, we have learned that the people who we “expect” will support us, whether in prayer or financially or some other means, are often the ones who DO NOT and the ones whom we would never have imagined would blink an eye in our direction turn out to be some of our largest supporters!
It was a few weeks after we sent out our letters and I just felt like we should have sent our letters to our surrounding neighbors as well. There are several of them on our block and while we don’t know any of them extremely well, we have conversed and even shared holiday treats with some of them. Strangely, though, I was really nervous about sending letters to them and I wavered back and forth over the decision. Finally, I committed to it and placed the letter in each of their mailboxes. A couple weeks went by and then one day … one of our neighbors saw our daughters, Molly and Brynn, outside and the girls, being the social butterflies that they are, stopped to chat. They came home to tell us “they were talking about your trip to Honduras and they said they are going to support you! They’d like to talk to you about it! Isn’t that great, mama?”
REALLY?
Later that evening or it might have been the next evening, Brian and Molly went to the neighbor’s home and they were there for quite a while … Brynn and I stayed home as it was near her bedtime. Do you remember in a previous post when I said this?
[…this really is not something we just do all by ourselves. It takes a whole team ... a team consisting of GROUPS of DIFFERENT TYPES of people:
SEND-er - These are the people who organize and train teams and they are also the people who financially support missionaries.
GO-er - These are the people who "GO" to serve the LORD, whether it be to build homes, provide medical care, feed the hungry, or share the Gospel.
PRAY-er - These are the people who PRAY for anything and everything with regards to the "mission" and serving the LORD.
ALL of these people are vital to the success of a mission and, of course, a person can be more than one of these types at a time!]
Click here for the original post -http://fromwisconsintohonduras.blogspot.com/2012/05/encouragement.html
What is really amazing is when some of those people not only send and support us, go with us, and pray for us … BUT ALSO BECOME REALLY GREAT FRIENDS!!!
Our dear neighbors, God bless them, have supported us, prayed for us, attended ALL of our fundraising events and now we’ve even shared fellowship in one another’s homes!! WOW!! We never expected that but we are so pleased with this relationship that is budding and growing (I just hope they’re not too embarrassed by the spotlight – you know who you are!!) !!
Obedience to God isn’t always comfortable and it might even be a little scary but take this example, for instance, … If we hadn’t put the letters in our neighbors mailboxes, we wouldn’t be experiencing this new friendship that has been such a blessing to us, to our daughters and to our neighbors. Imagine how much we all miss out on because we ignore the “voice in our head”, the “nudging in our souls”, the “tugging in our hearts.” What about you? Do you hear the voice? Do you feel it ... the gentle hand on your shoulder urging you in a direction you don’t think you want to go …go ahead, take a step. The fruit of overcoming your fear just might be worth it!
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