My years at Illinois State University seem ages ago at this point, multiple lifetimes ago if I'm truly honest. Lessons learned, now mostly long forgotten to my own disappointment. Friendships that have proven the test of time and others reduced to the list of acquaintances connected by Facebook. Old ISU sweatshirts getting shifted to the Goodwill pile, while others still make the pile that get transported as I've moved about. One navy blue sweatshirt that makes that cut, hails from my four years spent with the ISU young group. The front of the sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase "catch the vision," not always the easiest task, strikes me as even more appropriate now in 2024, rather than back when I was young and powering full steam ahead, course set on medical school and beyond. Here in the "beyond" Jake and I are at a crossroads and looking to catch that vision.
Jake and I are working with Apostolic Christian HarvestCall to consider potential placement in the future. As an opportunity to provide support to the small group of believers in Barra Vieja, Mexico, Jake and I will be visiting Barra Vieja next week on a vision trip. We leave the 16th and return the following Tuesday. Unlike a traditional short-term mission trip, a vision trip’s purpose is not ministry activity, but rather to explore the challenges and opportunities for long-term ministry in a different culture. From the meetings and conversations we've had prior to this trip, I understand HarvestCall's perspective to be that our role long term in Barra would be more of a church planting approach, and the work with our hands (surgery, etc.) would take place in the background. This is much harder for me to visualize, but we are praying for open hearts, minds and eyes during our trip. 1) to be able to love our brothers and sisters 2) to see, feel and understand any work Jesus would have for us in Barra 3) to recognize and understand honestly our role in Barra either in the near future, the distant future, or perhaps not at all. We would appreciate your prayers in this endeavour next week, for safety, for discernment, and for vision.
In addition, Jake and I will be returning to Hospital Loma de Luz in Honduras next month, May 6th - 12th. They are without surgical coverage at the hospital there for a few weeks, and reached out for help. Without c-section backup, they would not be able to even birth their babies during those weeks. I only had a few days that my schedule allowed, but they were thankful for any coverage I could provide. Hearing that Jake would be traveling with me, they of course have a list of jobs for him to look at and work through while there as well.
On the DART front, there has been very minimal activity across the board in the first quarter of 2024, and those few that have been sent have been nonmedical personnel. There may be a potential deployment in May, but I am waiting to hear if I am needed. In the meantime, we will continue with the work we have before us.
Much Love.
Catch the Vision
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3