Visiting the Q’s future location & meeting their team-leaders
We were able to travel to the area where the Q’s will be living and ministering in long-term starting in January 2010. It was a joy to meet their team leader and other teammates. We were able to ask a lot of questions regarding how the Q’s would fit into their new lives in
Mountains outside the Q’s future city
Encouraging a local North African business leader
One of the unexpected blessings of this trip was the opportunity that God provided to meet a local North African business leader. This entrepreneur, Hassan, has started a local pottery store where he trains poor N. African women in pottery-making techniques. He is receiving funding from the European Union and his local government to try and start this business to stimulate the economy and provide for the poor. He gave us a tour of his store and shared with us his heart for caring for the poor.
The day after the tour, we got the privilege to meet with him privately along. Hassan requested some help in finding new export markets for his pottery. He gave us a sobering picture of the state of the N. African economy and the lack of job prospects in his country. He said that thousands of N. Africans die each year on failed attempts at crossing the border into
“Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;”
After hearing these words, he emphatically responded with, “Yes! I have seen that to be true! Allah has provided for me on numerous occasions when I was desperately in need!”
After we shared a few more scriptures with him, he said, “God has met with us today. These words that you are speaking are true. I would like to hear more.” So, it appeared that God was opening this man’s heart to Truth of the Scriptures.
Strengthening the ministry of the Long-term workers
Another important aspect of the trip was to spend time with the long-term workers and seek to encourage them. On Sunday during the trip, we had the opportunity to meet together in one of their homes for a worship service. The two families and our team met for singing, prayer, a children’s lesson, listening to God’s Word preached, and communion. After the service, one of the workers shared how touched he was just to hear 9 other voices lifted in praise to our God. It encouraged his soul to hear other believers singing praises! The gathering together with other believers is something that is easily taken for granted in our American church culture. Upon returning to the States, I (Tim) attended CareGroup meetings the following weeks with a new-found sense of blessing and privilege, knowing that in other parts of the world these meetings are forbidden by the government or simply not possible due to a lack of other believers.
Our service in the disability centers truly strengthened the efforts of the long-term workers. We were able to train the N. African therapists with new physical therapy techniques and diagnoses that they can build on going forward. We were also able to bring new equipment that can be used to encourage new range of motion exercises.
The view of the
Not your typical desert you think of when you picture
All in all, the trip was a huge success! We felt like God was glorified in our going and in Crossway’s sending! Thank you again for playing such an integral part in God’s mission to the nations!
And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,
"Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, (Rev 5:7-9)
