no.285 140209 Thank you for the message through Pastor Rolando

Welcome to Toronto, pastor Rolando!

So I've been counting down the days to see pastor Rolando ever since I heard the news that he'll be sharing a message at our church for the missions month. Today was finally the day, and I was able to say hi and welcome him just a little bit before the service started. One of my team member and I were so curious if he's received the Christmas card, so we had to ask him if it arrived in Mexico yet. I was sad to hear his response. According to pastor Peter, he sent an invitation to Rolando to come to Toronto, and it took him a month to get there. It's been more than a month since I sent my Christmas card… and where in the world did this card disappear to?! Hopefully it's arrived in Mexico by now. Pastor Rolando says that it will come eventually… I'm so glad he's staying so positive about this, because I am super disappointed. I really hope he will get it by the time he goes back home!

As it is missions month at our church, we've been focusing on the topic "The least of these" from book of Matthew chapter 25 verse 40, which goes like this (you should read from verse 31-46 to understand the full text):

The King will reply, 

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me'

What Jesus means by "the least of these" he refers to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the one in prison. If we help anyone struggling with these, we must not neglect them but rather, help them. On a side note, I want to share that if we're born again as Christians, then our way of living must change. How was I living a different life from before when I wasn't a Christian? Ever since my first mission trip, I could only recall a couple of times when I provided an act of service to the needy around me. The first thing would be donating food items to the poor with my coworkers around Christmas time. The second would be making a donation through Compassion with a group of my church friends, also around Christmas time. I think I sometimes think making a big gesture such as going on a mission trip, or donating a big amount to Christian organizations are the only ways we can help the needy. Therefore, I wonder, the things I could do everyday to help the poor are really limited.

We shouldn't be too discouraged when we're unable to go on a mission trip, or because we don't have enough to sign whatever amount on our cheques to send it to the poor. We should think about what we can do on a regular basis to help the needy around us. I would say the simplest, but also the hardest way to help is to pray for them, if you can't give help physically. I say it's simple because you don't have to go anywhere to do this. You can pray wherever you like. I say it's hard, well, at least for me, because I have so many other things to pray for, I never get to pray for the people in poverty. Another thing I've been trying to do is the way I spend my money. I'm a little proud to say that I've been doing a pretty good job on how I spend my money, since my experience in Mexico. I already shared how God completely changed my perspective on shopping, remember? I'm sure there are many things we can do on a daily basis to help the poor.

Back to mission trips. I was talking to one of the team members from Mexico, and I got a big encouragement from him today. We were just catching up and the last time I spoke to him, he was still in undergrad (this was just a few months ago). When he said that he is pursuing to be a long term missionary, my jaw just dropped in amazement. Although I've known him for a while now, I didn't know his dream was to become a full time missionary. It encouraged me because how often do you hear people wanting to be a full time missionary? And I guess I wasn't expecting him say that, so I was even more wowed when he had shared that. I saw his love and passion for God when we were in Mexico last summer.

I am thinking about going on a summer mission trip again. I've been also considering doing a long term, and talking to my team member today put me a greater heart for a long term. For a short term mission, I am praying about three countries - two through the church, and one through a non-profit organization. I would love to go back to Mexico. After seeing pastor Rolando today, I want to go back even more than ever. Because I have seen what it's like in Mexico, Rolando's message was so realistic and I could see what's happening, and how much help is still needed there.

So my point is this. That we should help the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the cold, the one struggling, through not only grand activities such as mission trips, that require a lot of planning and praying. But we should also help the needy through simple, daily activities. Just remember, that overseas mission isn't the only place for the Great Commission. Where we are at this very moment that God placed each of us is also our mission field.

I'm so excited to see pastor Rolando again for dinner tomorrow evening! I can't wait to ask him how the family in Cerro del Cuatro is doing… also his ministry in Santa Maria church, and what other visions God's been revealing to him and his family.