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October 30, 2007

Greatful! Volunteers or King and Queens

Dear Friends,
First of all I ask you not to read this if you do not have time and really involved in the busy american life. I know what it means for it took me more than two monthis to write this.
As you all know I live a life that is cross cultural in its all aspects. I am blessed to live in it. My wife is a gracious person who knows how to cross to where I am. I honestly can tell you I thank God everyday for her patience and grace. I have many wonderful friends who stayed with me through the years though our skin colour and accents are as far as east to west of the globe. I love living cross cultural life. since very early in my ministry my life has been characterized by cross cultural elements. I helped missionary friends to learn my language while they help me to learn English, I was literally discipled by a missionary brother who is still deeply love me and very close friend, I was educated mainly by missionaries who were not born in my country, I went to Asia to get my first Masters degree I talked the talk and walked the walk of cross cultural life. I enjoyed this life even when it is difficult for it is God who called me to CROSS.
My view of the American church is what I saw in my missionary friends back home. I have missionary friends who stayed home almost at the expense of their lives while the city I live was besiged. I know missonary friends who saved every penny they have, wearing torn pair of shoes, and very, very cheap close in order to reach the people in Africa who did not hear the gospel. One lesson, that remained all of these years in my life is the fact that any of those friends never thought what they are doing is a favor to the people they serve or to myself. The American missionaries in Africa are the jewels of the American Church who represent Christ in an amazing way. It is a privilage for me to be their friend though I do not deserve it.
Though I am blessed and continue to be blessed in this cross cultural life it is not free of the struggles. I belive most of you who get this e mail know me or crossed my way in good and difficult times. Therefore it is important to me to share you my struggles as an African. Some of you may read my blog www.kishawork.stlouisblogs.org but here I really want to share specific struggles as an African who is trying to cross to the settled culture, be a bridge between the American church and the "new Americans"
1. Is Cross Cultural ministry a favor or a privilage? I can tell you at this point God gave me a wonderful ministry that I have to lead and be accountable for. "RISE TOGETHET MINISTRIES" is designed to rise together above all the differences. One of my struggles I saw in the ministry is I come across many people who see what they do to the poor aliens we are serving as a favor and they want something back for it. I am throwing to all of you this question: Is ministry a favor you give or a privlage you recieved? Jer.20:9; 1Cor.9:16, 19. The reason I am throwing this verses is the fact that in God's community, it is a body working together no body is doing anybody a favor. As many of my friends do, I hope, pray and dream to see many churches and communities to be giver of themselves to Christ and others without expecting anything back. LORD MAKE THAT DAY CLOSER THAN EVER! If you struggle with the issue of being rewarded for everything you do in the kingdom I think it is time to search your heart and evaluate why you are doing ministry. I always try to be honest when I tell people about our ministry that it is not easy. I will stand with people who have difficulty when they serve God. But it really makes me wonder the faith of the people who think they are doing a favor for serving the God who saved them. Hopefully you know what I mean!
2. It is part of this culture, which I struggle with, sorry for being honest, to beg others to serve the Lord. Sometime we try to show people that it does not cost much of their convinience to serve God (Luke 9:23-34; Romans12:1-3). Serving God is not convinience. It is a process, a change. It can be uncomfortable. It took death on the cross for Jesus to save us.Do you think anyone would be inconvinienced to serve this God? My view of ministry is the fact that people need to know that serving God in Cross cultural ministry is a process of getting life through everyday dying to self and convinience. It is very inconvinient and difficult. I am not going to beg anyone to come and serve Christ. But I would love to offer the opprtunity to serve this God who inconvinienced himself even to the death of the cross. I understand serving God depends on the maturity and understanding of the person. But many people who volunteer in ministry, want to be treated as kings and queens just because they volunteer for ministry. Though as ministry leader, I always recognize the volunteers that are coming to may way I do not think I should beg anyone to serve God. I think my work is to presernt the opprtunity to relate and serve. Anyone serves because of the call in his or her heart and the reward that we expect from God. In many parts my country people give their full time to serve God without knowing where their next meal comes from. Why is it difficult to get volunteers in this culture who are sure of their next meal and shelter? It is a dilemma for me. Why do those who come want to be treated like kings and queens in the name of serving the King of Kings? It is a dilemma for me. Please know that I have many friends and people I know who are volunteering sacrificially. But there are people who are trying to climb on two trees because they have two feet. They are trying to serve without sacrifice, to live without dying to be a living sacrifice without staying on the altar. GOD HELP US!

I just remember the joke I read on Reader's Digest where a pastor and a cab driver went to heaven. The pastor was given a small house while the cab driver was given this big villa. The pastor asked, "I have been preaching all my life. and got this small house while this ordinary cab driver got this big villa" to which St. Peter Answered, " when you preach people sleep, when he drove people prayed. Therefore he caused more people to talk to God than you did." I am looking for a day where people who volunteer for Jesus cause more changes in the community by leaving their comfort zone to Cross and bless without expecting back from the poor people like us. For their reward in heaven is greater than any one can imagine. JESUS COME SOON!

| By kishawork2 | 03:39 AM

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Posted by: Heidi Vincent at October 30, 2007 02:39 PM

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