Today's picture is from Tanzania again. We are doing a Bible study outside and the children are playing on a large piece of fabric that was laid out for them. Many times the team has to make due with what is available. We have little control over the details in remote areas but God takes care of them.
Facing a group of women, I informed them of a new twist in the plans for their first mission trip. We were going to be staying in the homes of nationals from the church we were serving in the barrio…instead of a downtown hotel. I saw a wave of panic wash over their usually enthusiastic faces. New fears had been born in an instant; fears of eating weird foods, of sleeping who knows where, of scary bathroom facilities. Things had taken a sharp turn off the highway and onto an unknown, curvy road.
There are all sorts of fears that sneak up on us when we’re preparing to serve in another country. It is a good idea to acknowledge some of these fears before the trip. Some are more severe than other, but they can be paralyzing.
One person may fear whether the plane will land on time. Another will be worried about whether the plane will land at all. There are bugs and things that go bump I the night and there may be little things that are secret fears, like getting homesick or having a bad hair week. We all have them. Let’s start with identifying some of your fears.
Jot down a few of your own fears, including your secret ones.
Remember that many fears will dissipate as you learn about your geographical setting, ask questions of your hosts, and begin to understand the circumstances that can induce those fears. Remember that your hosts may be having some fears of their own regarding you. After all, you are a stranger to them, too. So the first step may be to ask good questions to get to know each other and allay some of your fears that way. However, you may still be burdened with some fears.
One of the most common saying of Jesus found frequently throughout the Gospels is “Fear not.” You may be asking yourself how it is possible to not feel fear about the things that will confront you on the trip.
In Luke 12:22-31, Jesus reasons with His disciples about the things that concern them. Read this passage, and summarize in your own words the concerns mentioned in verses 22-23.
Write down what Jesus teaches about common worries. From verses 24-26
From verses 27-31
The passage in Luke gives us God’s perspective on some physical worries and fears. There are other kinds of fears as well. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul gives us another means to finding God’s peace over our fears. What are we encouraged to do?
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