February 23, 2010
My wife Jennie and I just got back from Lima, Peru with our friends from the child sponsorship organization “Compassion.” Going into the trip I thought I had a good handle on what I should
expect. I knew I would have an incredible experience but it turns out that nothing could have prepared me for the journey that we embarked on. I know it sounds like a cliché, but
Jennie and I will never be the same. Head knowledge is of some value, yet heart knowledge is priceless. I feel like during the course of our visit, Compassion’s vision moved from my
head to my heart.
Our team was made up of mostly Canadian Pastor’s and leaders with the exception of Geoff Moore; a singer songwriter from Nashville and his guitarist Mark. Geoff by the way is the most down to
earth Grammy Award winner you will ever meet! Our trip began with a Peruvian church service where we were greeted with a taste of Spanish dance and song. Compassion is completely
committed to the local Church and can’t do what they do without it. One thing that really struck us was how important the local Church is to the believers. In Canada it seems as
though some of us Christ followers have abandoned the idea of gathering because of a variety of reasons. In Peru, the very well being of the Christ followers, both physically and
spiritually is dependent on the Church. Perhaps if we somehow encountered extreme hardship in Canada, our churches would be filled again with people in need. Hopefully we would be as
prepared as the Peruvian Pastors and elders!
Possibly the most enlightening moment for me came during one of our home visits to a lady named Anne. Anne is a mother of three and has recently become a grand mother. A few of us
made our way up the side of the mountain to her home, and we were bewildered at the sheer grade and length our climb. Anne had to hike this daily, which in itself would be very difficult.
Geoff Moore asked Anne where her children would be hadn’t the Church helped her out. I will never forget her answer. She responded through Emmanuel our interpreter, with no camera or
script, “Before the Church came into the picture, I was thinking about either selling or abandoning my children.” . We were all moved beyond words. I felt impressed to sing during this
visit and during the song I had this wonderful sense that God was simply saying, “This is where true worship is at.”
I will never forget the faces, stories, heartache and joy that we encountered. In four short days, priorities changed, philosophies were adjusted, and motives were hopefully refined.
I am so encouraged with how the Church is doing what she is truly called to all around the world. If I could encourage you today to read any passages of the Bible, it would be Isaiah 58 and Amos
5.
I’ll end with this. Sara Curdie, our missions Pastor here at First Assembly, Calgary recently said, “It’s one thing to love and give to the poor, it’s another thing to know their name.”
Blessings,
Michael