Going-- first step of obedience

On my recently completed short-term missions trip to Rwanda and Burundi in central eastern Africa, I was struck by the amazing amount of time allotted in the two weeks to travel.  There were close to 40 hours of travel each way between air travel and layovers in Amsterdam, Entrebbe, and JFK in New York.

on the road again

While we were in the beautifully green and mountainous Rwanda and Burundi,  our five-member PFC team along with Pastors Bernarde and John, from Rwanda, spent hours trekking up and down winding roads to prison sites in a simple SUV.

We were not able to enter the Democratic Republic of the Congo despite having completed visas from the Congo Embassy in Rwanda.  The Congo border officials refused to recognize the visas and would not allow us to enter the country. 

After three hours of prayerful and tiring waiting in between phone calls and conversations, we returned to Rwanda.  We were not able to visit one prison and complete one conference in the Congo.  It simply was not going to happen.

We conducted one conference in Rwanda and visited seven prisons between Rwanda and Burundi.  The purposes of the conference is to train and to encourage those already serving and others wanting to be involved.  Another prominent ministry in these countries is the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry which hosted the Rwanda conference with 28 participants.  We use core materials from the PFC University classes.  I taught on working with jail and prison staff.

As we traveled and I was feeling drained, I quoted Matthew 28:19-20 and John 15:16.

Rwanda countryside from the van

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

There are three active participle activities in going, baptizing, and teaching, all supporting the main verb "make disciples."  

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."  John 15:16

So, going, all the travel, sitting, watching, repositioning, and listening is the first step of obedience to "make disciples in Rwanda and Burundi. I remember repeatedly embracing the trip and thanking God for everything around me.  What an incredibly beautiful two countries.