Missions are a mandate

Erick Kalenga / Independent columnist
Published: March 30, 2008

For the past seven years I have had the privilege of learning about this great country and its heritage. It was in God's plan for America to be founded on Christian principals. Americans are a blessed people and they ought to be very thankful. I believe that with privilege comes responsibilities and that should trigger sharing. "By this we know love, because He laid down His love for us. And we also ought to lay our lives for the brethren."
1 John 3:16.

Although we need to love one another unconditionally we often struggle with spreading God's love. I believe Easter serves as a great reminder of the sacrificial love we need to have toward each other.

Kristen Hughes, one of our Rize-Up leaders from Floyd T. Binns Middle School, said: "When I was 14 years old I strongly felt the Lord press upon my heart to reach out to those in need.

The more I grew in the Lord, the more I felt called by God to go overseas and share His love. He put in my heart a soft spot for children specifically, and He gave me that desire to live in Africa.

"When I heard about the trip to Cape Town, South Africa, I just knew that I would be going. I had the Lord's peace about the trip from the beginning. I lacked faith when it came to the cost of the trip. In three months I raised about twice as much as I needed. What really touched my heart the most there was the orphanage. Those children were in desperate need of love and we got to share God's love with them. There are a lot of people hurting there."

I spoke to Betsy Smith, chilodren's minister from Culpeper Baptist Church and she said: "My daughter Taylor and I returned Feb. 28 from a two week mission trip to South Africa. 

'How can I be a blessing to them-' became my focus. While we were there we spoke in churches, in schools every week day, in a prison, and more. We helped with a tent revival each night, in an effort to plant a church in the middle of a village. I was humbled by the poverty I saw. But most of all, I was challenged by the contentment I saw in these people, these who had so little. In their hearts they are rich, rich with love for one another, rich with respect for themselves and others, and rich with a love for the Lord! I wondered why I struggle with contentment when I am well fed, have gas in my big vehicle, have a nice house to live in, and a loving family around me. As my daughter, Taylor, said, 'God has really blessed us in America!' I pray we will never take that for granted!"

Susan Wilcox, an anesthesiologist from Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, who attends church at Mountain View Community Church, said: "Two months ago I went on a mission trip to Costa Rica. This was my first mission trip. Being in the medical profession, I had been thinking about medical mission trip as something I ought to do.

"Jesus told his followers to go. It was out of a spirit of obedience and a willingness to be available that I signed up. Two things spoke to meon the trip. First, was the love that God had for this community, full of poverty and drug addiction.

"The love that I experienced in the comfort of my home in Culpeper is also the love that I saw in the eyes of the children and believers. With or without Jesus, these people may have little to show in material terms, but the believers have an abundance of joy that would put most Americans to shame. The love God has for these people, Christians, addicts, children alike, still burn like a fire in my heart.

"The other thing that I learned on a mission trip, was how God changes and grows you as an individual and as a team. It was life-changing. I have never prayed so much. I have never felt so close to God. I have never stepped out, stood up, for my faith as much. The love God gives us is a love we can keep. We have to share it to know it and we have to give it to get more of it. Every Christian should go on a mission trip."

Rize Up is organizing a free support concert at Culpeper Christian today at 6 p.m.  I truly believe that missions are not a choice. Whether it is local or international, it's a command from God.

Erick Kalenga is an independent columnist who appears Sundays in the Star-Exponent. He lives in Madison County.
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