[This post is specifically for interaction between the Cameroon team leaders. Although other readers - please please feel free to add your ideas too.]
Your leader application asked you to describe the most riskiest, yet not necessarily successful endeavor you have attempted. Envision a situation or scenario in the context of our upcoming trip which will grow and stretch you in the same manner, keeping in mind that it might not be successful. Describe that situation to us, the more details the better.
[Edit - I've added the comments in this post]
LB:
The other night I heard a man, Martin Ssempa, from Uganda speak about the horrifyng situations in Uganda and Sudan. He talked a lot about the documentary film, Invisible Children. I would recommend that everyone see it. He also spoke about the spiritual aspects of Africa. He spoke about the intense spiritual warfare that went on for any person, especially a Christian, when they visited the continent. The presence of witchcraft and sorcery is very real and very powerful all throughout the countries in Africa. This isn't something that I had really taken into deep consideration. But, given our mission, it is vital information. I think that it is the spiritual battle that I will undergo that will test me the most. Being in another country can and will certainly stretch me, but I think it is the war between my faith and these alternatives that will be the biggest stretch and also the biggest growth experience. It is likely that I will encounter spirits that I have never encountered before. I think that God will use this to help every member of our team including me grow exponentially. It will definitely be a battle, but I am trusting 100% that God will use it to reveal magnificent things to us about our faith in him and about the works that he is doing all around us. The end. :)
LB:
I guess I should have put the situation in there... I think we'll come into contact with a lot of teens that believe in witchcraft and sorcery. And, despite the fact that we want to ignore it, we must admit that it is real. What they experience, although not true and not right, is real. There will be real forces up against us attacking us. Satan will want to change our words around, confuse us, and try to make us forget the glory of God and our purpose- serving the nations with the love of God. There will be powerful arguments against us and we will want to give up. It will be our challenge to press on and know that Christ is the ultimate winner.
me:
LB, Good and valuable contribution. Thanks for sharing.
GM:
I think that this trip will be awesome. However, I know that God is in the business of making his people like him- great. He wants us to see the bigger plan of how He is bringing people together. I think that this trip in general is going to be an 'eye-opening' experience for myself. I feel like this trip is going to further open me up to have compassion for the world. I think that in itself is a huge concept. I am not sure how to put it in words, but to truly say "so long status quo" is huge. ps.. I totally agree with LB
me:
Gm, Great contribution - thanks for jumping in. And you bring up a key concept - God is interested in us as part of His plan for the rest of the world. It's going to be important for us to focus on what kind of God He is, versus the amount of risk we are taking on.
me:
Even though I asked the question, I'm sort of answering...
In terms of the riskiest things I've done, in the summer of 2004, my oldest daughter K and I spent four days at Teen Missions Bootcamp, a training ground for where they build teams and get students ready for the mission field. Four days of hardship included no electriccity or water, living in tents, and relentless mosquites (160 bites between the two of us.) Risky because it meant flying with a 6 year old for the first time, going to a place I had never been before and a rough sounding experience. In spite of those risks, or maybe because of them, it was a succesful experience - especially for K. She still fondly looks back on it as a milestone because of the hardship, adventure and unknown. Risky mostly from a physical, health and comfort perspective. There was zero risk in terms of anything else - like reputation, effort or energy or other resources.
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