While many of you are already in the mission field, the Namibia team is surviving another fall season back here in the states. Sometimes it's hard to believe we're actually going as student missionaries--it seems like life is so "normal." For me, that is, aside from frequent weekend appointments to do fundraising, and trying to "wrap things up" in the states so I can leave and prepare for what I'll be doing in Africa.
Sometimes it's difficult not to get distracted. As Lisa said so well, we were all fired up and ready to go after training, yet with several months of being back in the "normal" routine, it's easy to forget what we're here for. I find myself saying, "I know I need do this research, or call this person about funds, or check on my visa, but I can do that tomorrow... I've got a few months to go, right?" It's so easy to procrastinate. I find myself spending more time worrying about this week's physics test or how I'm going to fix a speaker in my car, rather than focusing on missions. The devil is so good at throwing distractions at us. Since I've come back from training, I have gotten so involved in so many things I never dreamed I'd get so busy. I've taken on several large responsibilities at church, including being an elder and an associate director of the Adventurer club. Things have suddenly gotten very busy at work, as we're trying to bring the new SKIPSystem software that I've been writing into real-time production and work out the last minute kinks. This is in addition to taking a full load of classes at the college, and fundraising as I already mentioned. Also, since I've started fundraising and training, I've renewed acquaintances with friends I haven't seen in years, and made new friends from the churches I've visited and, of course, from SM training. All this is good, and I'm excited to have more interaction with Christian friends. Being homeschooled and going to a public college, it's been difficult to develop friendships with other Christians, so it's neat to have a widening circle of friendships. However, even in this, I wonder, "Am I slowly drifting away from my focus?" Could it be that the devil, rather than using direct attacks, is using all these good things to slowly draw my focus from where it should be--on serving the Lord in the mission field?
You know, as I've been thinking about this, I realize that this battle isn't a unique one. In fact, we all can be subtly drawn into this trap if we are not watchful. Not everyone is called to go to Africa, but we as Christians know that this world is not our home. One day soon, we're going to go on a trip that will take us from this world to our real home. Are we ready for this journey? Are preparing for this trip--is this our primary focus--or are we like the Laodicean church, "neither cold nor hot"? I pray that each of us will keep this object in our focus.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. -- Matthew 24:44-46
Please keep all of the Student Missionaries in prayer--those in the field and those (like me) still waiting to go. Also, as Alicia mentioned yesterday, we need to pray for future SMs as well, who even now are beginning to prepare for the mission field next year.
I haven't heard from the Petersens lately, but there have been some interesting news stories about the water situation in Opuwo. At least it is now getting media attention, which should be a good thing. Hopefully something will be done about this soon. See the stories here:
http://news.google.com/news?q=opuwo
Also please continue to pray that Lisa and I will receive our visas and finish our fundraising soon. We really need things to come through so that we're not stuck with buying tickets at the last minute during the holiday season.
Thank you so much for your prayers!
