More is done in your going… So GO (JULY 22nd)
“I am glad that you are going, because more can be done in your going,” were the words of Rev Zaid Ali as he attempted to help me raise funds to attend IFES WORLD ASSEMBLY 2011 before he passed away.
I sit here in Hotel Studenzka, and considered that I am glad that I came to Krakow Poland. Even though I am not “on the mission field”, which is what Jesus’ command to “go” meant in Matthew 28:19, going was necessary. I cant say that these sentiments are after a powerful plenary session or an amazing shared testimony (because the conference has not officially started yet), but I say this because my experience thus far has been rewarding.
I remember when I first got the nudge about international missions. The thought that God may have wanted me to leave my paradise, that I absolutely LOVE, really scared me. In fact, I was a bit angry that God put such a “burden” on me. “Why should have to leave here..” I would say…I was a boldface child. But compassion grew in my heart for those who may not even heard the gospel even ONCE. I surrendered, despite my fears and attachment issues to my homeland.
Then came the request to attend World Assembly this year, 2011. I knew there would come a time that I would have to travel, but I did not expect it to be so soon. AND TO POLAND. I mean God, if you were helping me work out my fears, couldn’t we have started with a shorter distance…BOLDFACE ME AGAIN. Also, circumstances arose that meant that I would have to make the first trip to Poland alone. Despite certain reservation from my parents about me making the trip on my own, a way was made and I was able to make a trip that was something in a total of 19 hours…. from Piarco Trinidad to London Gaitwick to London Heathrow to Warsaw Poland to Krakow Poland.
The trip from Warsaw to Krakow was an interesting one. It seemed that my London to Warsaw flight had another student who was also attending World Assembly. His name was Alex from Argentina. We took the train to Krakow together. Even meeting him was an interesting experience because his first language was Spanish, which I am not fluent in while my first language was English which he was not fluent in. But, somehow, we managed to communicate and break the language barrier by me attempting his language and he mine. In sharing the gospel internationally, there has been a concern of mine about language barriers, but from this experience, I learnt that we could learn a language in a class or not, but interacting with someone give you a greater knowledge on language application than any class. I wonder if this principle help me with Polish, because I have absolutely no experience in the language :).
