The Beginning

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lamp stands, says this: I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:1-4)

Couple of weeks ago, I was asked to lead the last mission team training at our church. I had just returned from leading an amazing mission team from Austin Texas in Nicaragua. I asked God, “What do you want them to know about missions?” Strangely He did not point me to the usual places. I kept hearing, “Love”. Love in 1 Corinthians 13; love in 1 John 4:10 and 1 John 4:12; the First Love in Revelation 2. I was thinking, “God Revelation 2? Wouldn’t it be much easier God, if I encourage them with the “Great Commission” or Acts 1:8?” I realized as the next week unfolded that God was not simply preparing a message for the mission teams but also for my family as we prepared for our first “longer” mission trip to Mexico.

How we got here:

A few years and eight trips to Nicaragua ago, God started to open up a call in my family’s heart for missions outside the United States. A friend of mine sent me a note saying, "You can tell how close you are to the Kingdom by how you respond to injustice, because it is the responsibility of the Kingdom to care for its people." My heart broke when I held a homeless girl name Kati on the streets of Nicaragua knowing that she will go to bed on a small piece of cardboard fearing the uncertain possibilities of the dangerous streets. My life has been changed by my encounter with the “poor” (I say poor in quotes because although they may be poor in material wealth they are much richer than me in Spirit). In my eight trips to Nicaragua, I have experienced God’s promises come true. When, “we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” So, after eight short term mission trips, we are making a longer trip to Mexico on June 30.
It may be strange that we are heading to Mexico rather than Nicaragua. At least that was the question we asked God. Last December, I was sure that God was opening up doorways for us to intern for the mission organization, “Hope Nicaragua”. We had been working closely with missionary/pastor Matthew Jun for several years when he offered us an amazing opportunity to work with him in his homeless ministry. Everything was set. We were ready to go! But, God had other plans. There was one stipulation to the offer from Pastor Matthew; “Get your church’s blessing.” The church had different plans for us. About 11 years ago, our church began its first mission work in Sacalum, Mexico (In the Yucatan Peninsula, @ 2 hours south of Merida). We built a beautiful church yet the church was still struggling to grow and sustain itself. The local pastor and his wife who had been watching over the church from the “mother church” in a nearby larger city were being rotated out of the area in July. Coincidentally, that is the time we were available. It seemed clear, the church would not stop us from going to Nicaragua but they REALLY wanted us to go to Mexico. I was a bit confused and frustrated; we had never been to Mexico; we had no friends in Mexico; we did not have the finances to go to Mexico; and I can continue to list reasons against going. The toughest thing was hearing God say, “This is my will and not yours.”
The Affirmation of First Love in Mexico:
Even with all the panic and delay of swine flu (we were scheduled to visit in May) and the uncertainty of going into a strange and new land, my wife Jong He and my son Ethan (6) boarded the plane to Mexico last week after sharing the final message to the mission teams; “It is not about the projects, it is about the FIRST LOVE!” With less than a month before we make the long drive from North Carolina to the Yucatan, we were praying simply for one thing, “God let us find a base camp (strange I don’t know why we didn’t simply ask for a house, my friend Leon thinks it is the Marine in me).” In the hectic rush God simply said, “When you see it, you will know it.” Although, I believed that I should live in Sacalum, we decided listen to the advice of people who had visited the area and to look for a base camp in the bigger (and more convenient) city of Ticul. However, every house we viewed in Ticul just did not seem right; this one had no windows, that one did not have enough rooms, and another seemed a little dangerous for Ethan. Our house viewing was cut short by an appointment we had made with the “el president” (that is what they call the mayor) of Sacalum. As we were driving into Sacalum, we were taken by the beauty. I heard a soft voice saying, “You will live here.” As on cue my wife said, “This is beautiful, I think we can live here.” Excited the first thing we asked the mayor of Sacalum was, “Is there any houses in your town for rent?” The answer was disappointing. There were no houses that met our needs. But why did I hear that voice? Was that you God? I told the “el president”, “Thank you anyways, I am so glad to finally visit my mother-in-law has told us so much about your town. She was here about 10 years ago with the first team of Korean missionaries.”
God prepares the Base Camp:
The “el presidente” suddenly remembers something. He says (through a translator as I catch about 50% of his excited speech), “I remember that team (he had grown up in Sacalum), and actually I just remembered that an ample house will possibly opening up for rent. The house is currently being rented by construction workers and that is why I did not think of it.” More shocking was what he said next. The house was the first house rented and used as a church and mission base by our church over 10 years ago. FIRST LOVE! My heart began to race with excitement. I wanted to see the house. But the elder who had come on this vision trip with us was not as eager as us to see the house. When we had told him we were thinking about living in Sacalum, he had other plans in mind. While I was up and ready to go, he asked the mayor, “How much will it cost and how long will it take to build a house in on the church property?” I was thinking, “Yes, in the future it may be nice to build a house, but we need a house for rent right now.” But, the elder persisted for an answer. Pastor Alex (our local Pastor guide), asked him, “How many rooms?” Then he picked up a light blue marker off the table and began to outline a floor plan. After receiving an adequate answer we finally got under way to see the house.
We began to weave through the small narrow roads in the village. My wife and I were thinking of a house more in the center of the town…All of a sudden we popped out on to the main street of the town. The “el presidente’s” car came to a stop in front of a light blue house. Soon as I saw the house, I simply knew; this is it! The house has a gated port for our van, a large cemented backyard for Ethan, and three bedrooms (enough room for visiting friends and mission teams, we are hoping for a few). Beautiful! The rent is an amazing 1000 pesos per month; that is about $90.00 (most places in Ticul was @$250.00). WOW! God also placed an internet café across the street from the house (pretty amazing for a little town in Mexico). God is truly amazing! He gave us a base camp and not simply a house! This is not the end of the confirmations of what God is preparing for us. If you would like the rest of the story on the house please feel free to call or e-mail us.
From the Base Camp, our mission:
Our heart in missions is to live and share our lives with our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. We truly believe that mission is as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” Often as my friend who has much more experience in missions than us says, “In the past the missions have been undertaken with a colonialist impulse.” In simple lay terms it is the view that somehow our way of life and our culture is somehow superior to those who we encounter in the place that God is sending us. I must say, my first few trips to Nicaragua this is exactly how I felt! How can these people live this way? I felt like somehow I needed to teach them to live better. In the midst of that I encountered a living God in the people I was trying to help. They were closer to God than I was. I was so caught up at doing church and charity well, I forgot that God simply wanted to know and love me well. He showed me through the unconditional trust and love of the poor that he loves me, and all his people. He reminded me “this is love, that I first loved you.” It is not about the works or projects; it is about the “first Love”. I am going to Mexico in part that I may learn to be faithful to God’s call for us to experience his love. I am going to Mexico that I may know it is all about loving Him and loving one another. This is our mission as Jesus prayed in John 17 that I and them may be one! That we may find complete unity that those who do not Jesus Christ in Sacalum may see that the Father has sent the Son for the redemption of the world.
Our Prayer Needs:
The rest of the story will be posted on our blog. (you are probably saying thank you!) We want to ask you to partner with us in this next season of experiencing God’s love for us and His people in Mexico.
1. We feel God is asking us to surrender all to his will. Pray for us that we may continue to hear the voice of the shepherd and follow after his plans. We ask that we may not seek safety but to be in the will of Father. (John 10:14,Matthew 26:42)
2. We ask for the confidence of Luke 12 promise to guide us in our attitude in our finances. (Luke 12:22-24)
3. We ask that you would pray for new beginning in our relationship with the local church. (Some healing is needed from past relationships) (2 Corinthians 5:17)
4. We ask that our hearts and lives will be open as much as the hospitality we have already received from the people of Sacalum. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
5. I pray that God will lead us to great friends and partners in ministry. We want to raise up Timothy(s) in the area to partner with us and to continue the work of the Gospel even when we might have to leave. (1 & 2 Timothy)