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Missions in a Chaotic World

Throughout Scripture there are many references in which we are called to visit the orphan or care for the fatherless. As a believer in Christ, and one who believes that Scripture is infallible, I don’t believe these are Scriptures that we are to overlook. If God purposed them in the canon of the Bible, then we must heed his command to do these things.

It is easy when we go about our day-to-day lives without thinking on how we can fulfill these calls to visit and care for the fatherless, especially if we have never seen firsthand how different the life of an orphan is. Many of you who are reading this have already made a huge difference – you have adopted or are in the process of adopting. Others reading may be contemplating adoption, but maybe you have never considered adoption or even orphan care at all. I love this quote by David Platt,“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.†ACT Missions through AWAA gives all of us the perfect opportunity to truly experience relationships with orphans. We have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these children. We can sit down with them, hold them in our laps, share the gospel with them, laugh, cry, play, and pray with them. ACT Missions currently has teams of trips going all over the world (China, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, India, Haiti, with more opportunities to come).

In less than two months, I am leading a team to Ethiopia. When AWAA first started ACT Mission Trips, I would nearly lose my breath reading the emails about needing leaders because the call was so great in my heart! I tried putting off going with thoughts like, “I can’t afford it; I can’t leave my young children; What risks are involved, etc.” So I did, I put it off, and each time another call for leaders would come up I knew what I was supposed to be doing. Then, I would struggle within myself, “I’m not equipped to lead a team; I’ve never been anywhere.†If you look over my thoughts they are all very self-centered – it’s all about me, my doubts, my fears. What a prideful reaction to a call from a Holy God! This isn’t about me, it’s about Christ. He is the One who sustains all things! God is the sovereign One in control of all things. He will lead this trip, not me. He can ensure my young children are cared for while I am away, and He can deal with all of the risks and expenses! And He is! I don’t fear because God is in control.

I’m really excited about what the Lord will teach me through my trip; I’m excited about developing relationships with children and the nannies in Ethiopia who work with these children each day; I’m excited about how these children’s lives will one day, Lord willing, be changed when they have a family to call their own; but, I’m mostly excited to know that the Lord will be glorified in our team sharing the gospel and the love of Christ with these children.

With less than two months until we leave, we are lacking team members! We need at least four more members to go with us. Preferably a few more than that! Yes, the world is chaotic right now with Ebola, missiles, hostility throughout the nations, but even amongst those things, God is still and will always be in control. Please prayerfully consider joining us October 2-11 in Ethiopia! Will you heed the call?

-Emily Head, South Carolina Director of Social Services

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