Stepping off the plane for the first time in Burundi, I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. I stood with my husband and two very young children on the airport tarmac. I breathed in the scene that was before us. Mountains, enveloped by a hazy mist enveloped the city in the distance. It was more than warm. It was hot, and no one was waiting for us. Unsure where to go, we followed the crowd of passengers to the terminal. Then, we began the process of clearing immigration and customs. Sweat gathered on my forehead. There was (and still isn’t) any air conditioning in the airport terminal. I remember being thankful for the breeze that blew through the baggage collection area. I wondered where we were going to go and how we were going to get to wherever we were going. Because there was no one to meet us at the airport, how were we to get anywhere?
On my left, I held tightly to my five-year-old son’s little hand. Then, on my right, I balanced my one-and-a-half-year-old daughter on my hip. We were all tired of living out of suitcases. We had spent nearly a year in France studying French before our arrival that day in Burundi. From France, we flew to Nairobi, Kenya, and made our way to Burundi. This is where the adventure of our lifetime began.
Trusting even when there’s no one
Time and again, I’ve relived that same scenario of going somewhere new to start a church from nothing. Where would we start? We never knew until we got there. Who would work with us? We would find them. When would we leave? When the time was right. Someday, I think God might have us stay in one spot. Maybe that time is now. I’ll leave that up to him.
It took us nine years of hard work to see our first church plant in Burundi mature enough to leave. Why leave? To go to plant a new church in a new nation and start the whole process all over again. Now, many years and many churches later, I have learned a few things about stepping out in faith into the unknown. And I’m still learning to trust Him when there’s no one to meet us at the airport.
Courage to say yes
Culture, even Christian culture, doesn’t make it easy to step out in faith to see the impossible. It feels as if those days of faith are over. Today’s culture doesn’t call for leaving everything for the unknown. Or, if someone does go, it should be someone else and not you. We know you and where you come from. How could you think of doing something like this (even Jesus faced this; see Mark 6:1–6)? Or, even worse, how could you desert your family for people you don’t even know?
It takes courage to say yes to go.
A city called Lystra
In Acts 14, you can read the story one of Paul’s journeys that took him through several cities. In one of the cities, Lystra, a man was miraculously healed (Acts 14:10, 11). And the crowds went crazy over the great miracle they had seen. A man who was born crippled was healed and walked. It was amazing! Paul and his partner, Barnabas, could hardly restrain the people from making sacrifices for them, who were calling them gods.
One would think that this great miracle would open great opportunities to the city. However, that was not what happened. It was not long until something made the tide turn. The same people whom Paul ministered to were “stirred up” (see Acts 14:19) to stone Paul. He was left for dead but, in another miracle, got up and went on to another city called Derbe. Unlike Lystra, there were many who received the Gospel in Derbe. Later on, Paul returned to Lystra, and other cities where he had preached, encouraging believers along the way.
Not high maintenance
As I read this story, I was interested in the fact that Paul was almost worshiped as a god. Then he was stoned by the same ones who wanted to worship him the day before. The emotions he felt must have been intense. In studying Paul’s life, I’ve noticed he was someone who didn’t require a lot of maintenance. He worked to support himself by making tents, and he is never seen in the scriptures asking for expensive gifts. His main focus was to advance the Kingdom of God on earth.
Nevertheless, Paul was human. I am sure at this time and many other times, he must have felt conflicted, even tempted to feel depressed. I am also sure there was no one to meet him many times when he first entered a city. But he doesn’t even make mention of any personal anguish over this particular occurrence in the scriptures. He was simply concerned with building the Kingdom, growing the churches he planted, and being faithful to his call. Affirmation would come later in abundance simply by hearing Jesus say, “Well done.” However, until that time, he fought the fight of faith and kept his faith.
Moving forward
Our service to people isn’t based on their merits or their appreciation of our call to serve God. If there is no one to meet me at the airport, I’m still going to move forward. Whether what I do looks successful or not. Or whether someone thanks me or not, I’ve fixed my eyes on the prize of what lies ahead. What about you?
