When things get challenging

I heard the stories of David Livingstone and Amy Carmichael when I was younger. My dad loved to tell the stories of faith of the missionaries going to Africa and India. Great stories of faith, courage and grit. I often wonder, do we have that kind of conviction? Do we realize the task before us?

Our family in Papua New Guinea in 2018

The task is not to travel to see other countries and explore. We want to go where our friends are. They are the front line of missions, on board the ship and in Madang, Papua New Guinea. We want to go support them, to encourage, to train, to build them up, to share the b

urden, to get there and help and move forward together. Because of the nature of the trip, it won't be easy. It

hasn't been easy. It never is.

We see that all the time. Medical missionaries and volunteers having problems with visas, denied boarding, delayed visas, lost flights, canceled flights, theft, fear of the unknown, finances, etc. Anything that can discourage you, make you quit and lose motivation. Why? To keep you on the sidelines, inactive, to prevent you to go or to engage.

I'm reading a book called "Undaunted". (A great book by the way!) We have been called to live freely, fearlessly and undaunted. Our God has conquered. He wins every time. His light shines in the darkness and He is relentlessly loving you and loving people in the corners of the earth. We go because He loves us all.

Undaunted: not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment. (Wow!)

Here is our family of three. From Peru, trying to follow God's calling on our lives. We have many challenges, but we follow the One who is able to do so much more than we could ever think or imagine. Not because of us, but because of Him.

Luis got injured playing soccer on a local tournament and is not healed 100%. He won't be as mobile and fast as we would like. But, he got cleared by the doctor on Saturday. He flies out this coming Friday to Papua New Guinea. (Yay! We miss going on outreach!)

Traveling on a Peruvian passport is a challenge. Luis and I (Claudia) got all the visas for Papua New Guinea and to transit through Australia. Thank you Jesus! Our daughter's visa to PNG and Australia is still not approved. We would have loved to travel together, but we are adapting. Maria Claudia and I will fly out as soon as we can. We believe it's important to go see our teams in Papua New Guinea. We won't be discouraged, we want to obey and persevere. We can let our worries and burdens at God's feet and keep moving. We can live undaunted.

We are not David Livingstone or Amy Carmichael. Traveling is easier than by boat these days. If God got them through illness and hardship, He can do that for us too.

God used ordinary men and women to bring His love and hope to people who live far and in remote villages in the world. I believe He continues to call your name and mine to follow Him and to tell of His wonders and His love. It won't be easy or comfortable. But He loves us and

He has promised to go with us. Amen!

" For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3: 14-21