Ministry in the midst of uncertainty
I am sure many brothers throughout the middle east can relate to this. During times of possibility of turmoil it can be very difficult, almost more difficult than the actual turmoil.
Being that, you are not able to take anything for granted. You are not able to make plans, or count on anything being the same.
On Wednesday, I went from Beirut to Tyre. It was amazing how different the atmosphere was.
Here in Beirut there is much fear. There are areas that, normally are full of people – vacant.
To give an example of this… Normally when taking a bus from one location to another a bus driver will wait long periods of time for the bus to fill up before departing. Instead after waiting for a long time the bus driver was forced to leave Beirut with only 6 out of his 25 seats filled.
He said that he normally did not do this route that normally he shuttled Iraqi tourists around, but since the problems erupted he has not been able to as they have stopped coming.
For us we have been trying to plan various outreaches for the spring. It has made things difficult as now we are having to tell people wishing to come to not buy their tickets just yet.
However, the moment we got out of Beirut and got into the South things were completely normal. It was strange how much the atmosphere can change with just a few miles difference.
All over in places like Tunisia, Egypt Algeria Sudan, places that have experienced problems or might in the near future this is the hard time. Waiting, can often be a lot more difficult than turmoil. Not knowing, is more difficult because you do not know what to do. In reality there is nothing you can do, but pray.
When an event happens you know how to respond. Prior to that, you just have to wait.
So join with all of us out in the field and wait with us. Wait and pray. Pray for a better tomorrow. Pray that doors would be opened that have never been opened before. That the Gospel might be able to pour into these many countries that have for so long been under the shadow of the crescent. Pray that atlast the Son might eclipse the crescent in the hearts of the Arabs.
Filed under: evangelism