This has been a long time coming. First, I wanted to update you all on my trip
to Holland, but things are very busy here in Pemba and time has just been
slipping further and further away!
Second, I wanted to update you on life in Pemba and the
school, but I will get to that another time.
Being in Holland at the Mission Possible Conference was one
of the most humbling experiences I have ever been apart of. Really I wasn’t extremely sure why I was
there, but God totally paid for everything, for me to be there, so I wasn’t
going to complain.
The flights were long, but the team and I got to Holland
with possessions in tacked. We headed to the conference site, about two hours
from the airport. But, first we spent the afternoon in Amsterdam city exploring
and eating amazing food. After living in Pemba for so long food becomes a big
deal.
Arriving to the
hostel where we would be staying with 182 other Harvest school Alumni and
guests. We as Harvest School staff were in
charge and put straight to work to help run the conference. And we didn’t
stop. It was 18-hour days from then on
out. Organizing, making sure jobs were getting done, and people were where they
were meant to be.
Despite all the hard work we were doing running the Iris
side of the conference it was such an honor to be there and extremely humbling
to be in the same room as some the amazing men and women of faith that were
there. 80 plus nations represented at
the conference as a whole and 50 of those nations considered closed nations. As
in they are nations closed off to parts of the world particularly Christians
and or Christianity.
We had 50 plus Christian leaders from those closed countries
come and risk there lives to be at the conference to share about the work they
are doing in some of the most dangerous places in the world. Places where there
are literally only 20 Believers in the entire country and if they are found out
they would be shot. How they sacrifice
themselves daily for the gospel, how there people are being tortured and
murdered for the sake of the name Jesus.
I cannot go into much more detail than that because if most
of there governments found out they were there they would be killed. That is the severity of the world we live in
and it can be so easy sometimes to just look the other way or not think about
the importance one little life can have.
Some of the big name people who spoke at the conference
were; Heidi Baker, Philip Mantofa, Bill Johnson. Kris Vallaton, Lou Engle,
Brother Andrew, Lauren Cunningham, Matteus Van Der Stein, and David
Wagner. The conference was a amazing
and we had 24/7 prayer going months before and during the conference.
It really made me think about my calling in life. 3 years ago when I was a student in the
Harvest Mission school I told God “YES” my heart was screaming it. I said “to
the darkest and Most dangerous places Lord and then Darker!” However, since then I have been in process.
God has literally been refining after refining me. Teaching me a servant heart.
Showing me that laying down your life doesn’t just mean dying for someone,
which I am willing and hungry to do! But sometimes it looks like dying to self
first and obeying God No matter the cost. I want to be a Martyr, but I want to
be a martyr that really lived out the gospel!
I want my life to have glorified My Savior in every aspect not just in
my death!
God has given me a promise! “Ask and I will give the nations
to you as your inheritance! “ And I know there is no Partiality in God (Romans
2:11, Deuteronomy 10:17-18). Therefore; I know I can trust Him to finish what
He started. And I will glorify Him in everything even if it is not the
glamorous and adventurous missionary story everyone wants.
I no longer want to sit
around and play good little missionary when there are people out there who one
have never heard the name Jesus and who are dying and sacrificing everything
because they know the power in the that very name.
I know the power in
that name and I want to start using it in more ways than just for myself.
But Has put me in this season of planting and imparting that
very seed of hunger and willingness into the lives of other Christians around
me.
My life story my not be one of excitement or extreme trauma
God saved me from, but He rescued me out of my own complacency and stagnancies.
He saved me from myself. And Part of my destiny is calling people out of
themselves.
The conference stirred up a huge hunger inside of me to see
God’s people come back to Him and know their Identities in Him.
God really started breaking my heart even more and
confirming many things about my future to me. I had always felt called to war
zones and to dark places, but never felt the okay to just run straight into any
of it. As if I wasn’t qualified enough. However, God showed me its not about my
qualification its about obedience. Which is something I always knew in my head,
but fear gripped my heart. I know now
that obedience is so much greater than sacrifice.
I want to see a generation of soldiers, drug lords, pimps, and
complacent Christians rise up and realize their real identity. Realize their
Value. I want to see them worship God with there entire lives! I want to see
these people Love the God of this creation!
I want to Challenge you. Go and Ask God for more hunger for
Him. Then ask Him to use you. Then obey.
Sacrifice is the easy when we are in the midst of obedience.
I have more I need to update about, but this was more
important to my heart. I just got back from my weekend bush-bush outreach and I
will have a blog up about that soon.
I love and miss you all. I ask only that you keep me in your
prayers. If you feel lead to intercede for me and if you are willing please
email me personally. I need you. (Rachaels7@gmail.com)
Much Love and Blessings,
Rachael Michelle
