
‘We’re not giving up’
Amid fires, gunshots and chaos, an Alabama mission team prayed…
As we report on Page 1, a mission team from the Reidland Church of Christ in Paducah, Ky., recently spent a week helping Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria.
While there, the group of 26 Christian men, women and children witnessed a hurricane scare of their own. Residents still anxious from Maria — not to mention Hurricane Irma before it — flocked to stores to buy water and supplies amid fears that a storm named Beryl might do damage to the still-reeling island.
“The possibility of violence is present and has been present for God’s servants through the centuries.”
But while the Kentucky volunteers prayed about the weather, they did not let fear dissuade them. They kept painting, hammering and sweating as they showed love and compassion to Christians and non-Christians alike.
About the same time, a different kind of storm — a political one — erupted in Haiti. As we note on Page 3, a mission team from the Cornerstone Church of Christ in Florence, Ala., got caught up in that chaos.
“I trust God,” Reidland member Kelly Walden said before the storm weakened. “I’m not going to stress over the weather.”
But like the Kentucky group, the Alabama Christians did not cower.
“You just trust in God, and that’s what we did,” Debbie Dupuy said.
Steve Teel, president of the Baxter Institute in Honduras, offers these wise words: “The possibility of violence is present and has been present for God’s servants through the centuries. Discernment is most important in all decisions, which is not easy for elders to gauge.”
“But ultimately, being overly cautious keeps you out of (the) world. Jesus’ ‘Go!’ governed Paul’s ‘I must go!’”
Yes, be discerning. But no, don’t be fearful. In a dangerous world, trust God. Always trust God.
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