Kerosene Lantern

It’s late and I should probably go to bed but since I’m off tomorrow, I thought I should celebrate by staying up. But the thing is this: when I stay up too late, then my day off is ruined because I sleep in for too long. But I am in the mood to think and write, only because I’ve been listening to some slow, good music and been reading my friend’s concordance for a while tonight.

So I have no idea who stops by and reads the entries on this blog, apart from the few who leave comments or email me about what I write. But, I hope all of you noticed about the “Bank for Native Missionaries” I set up in February. I was really amazed to be able to send 29$ just today, to Gospel for Asia, so that they get a kerosene lantern for the native missionary in Asia who needs it most. I really did not think I’d send that much money right from the first month. God surprises me and I have been encouraged by those who sent me money to support God’s servants in Asia.

I’ve always thought that giving to missionaries or a mission, to people I don’t know, who lives in a far away country and etc. was not for me. But God made me realize that I am rich, living life as easy as possible, trying to be holy and sometimes grab the opportunity to speak about Jesus to those who don’t know Him, while natives of Asia gave up jobs and money, were rejected by their families, are going hungry, walk miles and miles to reach the next village to speak about Jesus… I feel like I’m doing nothing here in my little life, thinking and writing and working and reading and laughing and eating and “churching” and… while my brothers and sisters in other parts of the world are having a tough day, stomachs partially empty, feet soar from walking, still proclaiming Jesus as Savior to anybody they can find. This is not the condition of every single native missionary, some of them are living in better conditions, some are worse. I just feel poor, naked, blind and wretched (see Revelation 3:17ff) when I think about them and me. I sometimes even have a hard time praying for them, because I feel so unworthy. In my eyes, they are really obedient to God and full of love and I think they are amazing saints, but in reality they are simple people who believed Jesus and took His call upon their lives seriously. That’s as easy as it is. I think it’s just the way believers should be: crazy maniac for Jesus. Do not misunderstand me. Wouldn’t it be the normal thing to do to surrender all to Christ and obey Him in every detail of our lives since He provided salvation from eternal punishment for us?

I cannot go (and it’d probably be less than “impacting”) to these villages where the name Jesus has never been heard, I don’t speak the language, I don’t know the culture, I am white. But natives of the country, they know the culture, they speak the languages, they know how to reach these areas. I have many material blessings and God is asking me to partake in His work of redemption out there, where people never heard about Jesus. He wants me to pray and surrender everything to Him, so I can send a few bucks here and there to support His missionaries out there. It’s very easy to say “I have no money, I’ve got debts and etc.” what about the peanut butter you had on your toast this morning? What about the snack you had this afternoon, what about the 4th t-shirt you bought last month? What about the book or cd or… these are little things that we buy without even thinking. I don’t think it’s bad in itself, but I think God wants us to put a few of our comforts aside and save a few bucks here and there so we can help our brothers and sisters who don’t even have what we call “the basics” in our society. Why should we help them? Because they spread the Gospel and they need us to help them buy food and clothing, gospel tracts, kerosene lanterns, New Testaments, bicycles…

Why do we buy pretty much anything without praying about it, but when we’re asked to support missionary work, we become very spiritual and say we need to pray about it?
I challenge you to set aside a buck or too here and there during the month and send the money to Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org or any real Christian organization that seeks to reach those who never heard about Jesus, or to send it to me gabeleroux@yahoo.ca along with others who read this blog, so we can get “bigger” amount of money together. I send the money at the end of each month. Last time, we bought a kerosene lantern, what a blessing to be a part of God’s work in Asia! For now there is 0.00$ in the bank.
For more info, please leave a comment or email me gabeleroux@yahoo.ca I’d be more than excited to answer questions and hopefully help you be a blessing to God’s servants.