Groth Report March 2009

From the Word

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15a.

Current Events

Every so often in an e-mail, a SKYPE call, or just in daily conversation, someone asks, “What is it like to be a missionary?” I don’t think I’ve really ever tried to answer that question. Sometimes just a smile changes the topic. Other times you and your spouse just smile at each other and think, “If they only knew.” Perhaps because this month has been such a roller coaster of ups and downs I’m going to try to give you a glimpse of our answer to this question.

Let’s see now, which valve is it?

For three days in the evenings the electricity has gone out for several hours. Usually this is about the time you are ready to rest. This means that Chuck’s CPAP machine won’t work, and sleep for him is an impossibility. Meanwhile the temperature in the room is rising into the 90’s. Then the power comes back and life goes on. Next morning a shower sounds great!!! You get in and are ready and turn on the faucet. No water!! The problem? Your landlord doesn’t believe that the float valve in the storage tank needs replacing, so the line that feeds the up tank that stores the water must be manually turned off and on. Of course, someone has forgotten to turn on the valve, all the water was used, air has filled the pipes, and now you will wait forty-five minutes for the tank to fill and to get the air out of all the lines. You Skype your kids and grandkids, and one grandchild says, “Nana, can we come to your house and play?” and your heart hurts. You go to pack your suitcase for your trip to try to get a shipping container that is sitting in Indiana on its way. For some reason your usually trustworthy house person has ironed none of the laundry, and so you must stop and do this before you can leave. Soon you are on your way with a wonderful Christian leader who has arranged for you to meet a Senator who is a Christian to discuss how you can get humanitarian goods into the country without paying bribes. You stop at a half way point on the road because it is the only spot that has “acceptable” toilets. (No water, no paper). Along the way your Christian friend shares with you his family problems and the problems of another leader who has virtually left the faith. He was one of your students.

The meeting with the senator goes well. It looks like the container project may be a go!! You thank God for fellow Christians and the places God puts them to serve Him - (government or church). Then your Christian friend has a request. “Please could we go to see a new mission area? We really need someone to teach there. These are “baby” Christians. Could you please just look at some spots where we could do some teaching?” “Of course,” we say, and we’re off on a bumpy, dusty “road.” At the first place we meet a Christian leader who is working to spread the Gospel to people in a wide area. He and his wife are excited about the possibility of more Christian teaching. On to another spot. The building roof is caving in, the pump is broken, the generator is limping, and we all decide it is a perfect spot to hold a workshop. We head down the road and our troubled Christian friend tells us about his travel along this road. “Every week when my helper and I travel this road we pray. We know that all along this road people have NEVER heard the name of Jesus. That small road over there leads to a village of over five hundred homes; none of the people who live there know about Jesus. We ask God where we should go. We stop and meet with people. Now there are cell groups beginning.” Our Christian friend continues, “It takes time for sharing and caring. Sometimes I think I should go off and just have a quiet life, but then what would be the purpose of living?”

We make it home to Sihanoukville on Wednesday. Friday morning Bible study has twenty-seven people. The living room (our classroom) is overflowing. A girl in the front row tells how her parents have asked her to leave her Christian University and told her she is no longer part of their family. You give her a hug, and the Spirit reminds you again why you are here. “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”

Look at your life and let me ask you the same question, “What’s it like to be a missionary?” Thank God for your mission and the support of the Spirit to have life that by grace has a purpose.

 

Gratefully in His service,

 

Chuck and Jeanette Groth

 

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