Paige- The End (for now)

15 weeks ago today I wrote my first Madagascar blogpost; this post will be my last. There is so much I want to say and express about the last 4 months, but since I am not writing a book right now, I will do my best to sum it all up in a few words.

This is the first missions trip I have ever been on. I've travelled many places but I have never gone out with the specific task of sharing the Gospel. I had my doubts and hesitations about coming on this trip and from a human perspective they were all very reasonable. I have learned quickly though that when you make a vow to follow Christ, you should change your perspective.  It is better to perceive what you believe and not what you see. For we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  The eyes of Christ don’t just see our present circumstance or who we are at the moment, they see everything that we can be and as a Christian I must continue to walk with Christ. I sin, I have doubts, I often feel unworthy, but I must take up my mat and continue to walk with Him because delayed obedience is really disobedience and the longer I take to obey, the harder it is for me to go when I am called.

My pastor has often said, you do not know who is waiting on the other side of your obedience.  I came here and found out there were a whole lot of people on the other side and it has been really cool to see the relationships that have developed while we have been here.  It is almost like, if it weren’t for God bringing us here, some of these people may not have become friends, or come to church, or even heard the Truth about Jesus.  That is amazing to me.  Even more amazing, God did not need my help at all.  He just chose to use me.  I am constantly reminded that I am nothing but a sinner, saved by grace and given the awesome opportunity to be a part of God’s work.

I know that God will continue to work, but this is the end of my time here in Madagascar (for now).  I hope that I get to see these people again soon, but even if I don’t get to see them again on this side of Heaven, I have peace in knowing that I saw them for who they were in Christ and I loved them while I had the chance.  Thank you for sharing in this experience with me through your prayers and by simply reading our stories.  God finishes everything that He starts and He has started lots of very good things here in Madagascar.  Continue to pray for the faith, the salvation and the lives of the people here in Manakara and continue to pray for the faith, the salvation and the lives of friends, family and strangers that live near you.  And when you pray, always listen to what God is speaking to you and live in expectancy because whatever it is that He says He is going to do, He will do it. v

A friend shared this scripture with me a few weeks ago and when I read it, I loved it.  I felt like if I had to choose a set of verses to be my closing statement for my time here in Madagascar, these would be them:

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

And that is all (for now).

For the Kingdom,

plc