The First Will Be Last

I have been in the book of Isaiah every morning for almost 2 years and I am only up to chapter 41. (I figure if God is doing the talking, if this is truly his word as it claims to be, then a mere mortal can plumb the depths of it for a lifetime and never exhaust all of its meaning.) Today I went on a neat tangent where I saw in verse 10 "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God."

In studying the Bible inductively I don't jump to application. Detailed observation is always first. But when I got to the application and I considered how Jesus promised us he would always be with us I looked over at Matthew 28. He clearly says he will be with us "always, to the end of the age". I can fear not and be not dismayed for the simple but powerful truth that he is with me.

I am going to Romania to fit wheelchairs. My primary goal is to "make disciples of all nations" like it says in Matthew 28:19. It is my understanding that Wheels for the World passes on a Bible to everyone they serve. We will be telling the good news to all the people we can while we're there. We want to give the immobile mobility and help those with muscle weakness or abnormal tone to sit upright. But really, more than any of that, we want them to know him who calms their fears and dispels their anxiety by "being with them".

John Piper once said he imagined the disabled would be ahead of him in the receiving line (as it were) in heaven. Jesus did say the first would be the last and the last first. Oh God, give me an understanding that every disabled child or adult I serve is one for whom you died and one of those who will be leaping and running - ahead of me - to jump into your arms in heaven. That's cool. I'll wait my turn...

Romania in July!

So, this is it. The real reason for my postings.... In about 5 weeks I am headed to Romania with 8 others to deliver and fit custom wheelchairs. These aren't your everyday chrome plated hospital style fold-up wheelchairs, mind you. These are some involved mobility systems! And the people we'll be serving are those with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal cord injuries and the like.



Take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLhkdxEjKcw&feature=related



This is the type of work I do here in the states day in and day out. But here it's completely different. It's easier in many respects. I "spec" out the wheelchair, get it funded and then order all the pieces and parts. We have an excellent technician who assembles everything to my specifications. In Romania I'll be fabricating and ingeniously fashioning things on the fly. It's a little daunting. For one, I'm not all that ingenious. Would you mind praying for me? I want eyes to see solutions and skillful hands to serve.




We'll be sharing the message of Christ's love with everyone too. Another area where I'll need help. I've worked on rebellious wheelchairs before. Sometimes they will start to trick me into thinking I can accomplish something only to fail because a part won't fit or the right tool isn't at hand. Then I can tell the wheelchair is laughing at me so I start calling them names. Unkind names. Could you pray that Christ's peace will rule my heart and my speech will be graceful? (see Colossians 3:15 & 4:6)

Los Mochis

A year after Honduras and some of us are down in Los Mochis, Mexico to (you guessed it) build something, play with kids and preach the gospel. Well, it was a little different this time. The Baptist association for the state of Sinaloa asked us to teach some of their pastors. We prepared and practiced with one another and trusted God (for real, because we're all just regular people with jobs and stuff). My 30 minute presentation was squeezed down to about 12 minutes in a very hot room at Betel Bautista. The pastors were gracious and again I was touched by the reality of this Body of Christ phenomenon. Here are all of these people and we're separated by distance, language, customs and culture yet there is a familiarity and openness we shared. Jesus said "they" (meaning those on the outside who do not yet know him) would know we are his disciples if we love one another. I think the church is getting closer to this.

Short term mission #1

Two years ago I boarded a chartered 747 with over a hundred others from Birmingham, Alabama on our way to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Our mission was to help build a small classroom, host carnivals for children, carry bottled water and food supplies to families and tell as many who would listen about a Jewish carpenter who lived 2,000 years ago and died so that they could have life in his name. This short-term mission trip, I later to learned, was not a unique experience. Over one million Americans travel abroad yearly, most often through a church fellowship, for the purpose of helping the poor and evangelizing.

What an experience! The hospitality of the people of Honduras was touching. The kids were fun to play with and patient with my poor attempts at Spanish. Worshipping with local Christians was truly memorable. Once when we were all singing "How Great Thou Art", the nationals singing in Spanish and we Americans singing in English, I think I glimpsed a bit of Revelation 7:9-10. The culmination of all history - people from every tribe and tongue worshipping and praising God!