Indiana Jones

Having grown up in my brother's shadow, meaning he had possession of the TV control on most occasions, my childhood was marked by shows and movies such as Knight Rider, Air Wolf, and Indiana Jones. Of the latter, the scene that sticks in my mind most is the scene from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." On his adventures to find the Holy Grail, Indy comes to the edge of a cliff, a huge cavern, that appeared to be thirty feet across, without any visible way to reach the other side. As the music intensified, Indy read the instructions from His father's diary. The final test required Indy to "step out" in faith. Trusting his father's instruction, and all he knew at that moment, in what seemed to the audience as insanity, Indy stepped off into the void. To his amazement, his foot came down on solid ground! (It turns out that there was a bridge across the cavern but because the rocky texture of the bridge perfectly matched the facing wall of the cavern, the bridge was invisible from Indy's perspective). Great scene...

Well, I feel a little like Indy this week. Here's the story...my very first compelling toward missions came as a college student at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, FL. Some men were visiting our church to talk about what the Lord was doing in Romania. They were missionaries there and it was the first time I ever truly felt my heart moved for a certain country and people group. I had wanted to be a doctor and someday do medical missions since I was in junior high, and one of my main motivations in finally becoming a PA was to someday do medical missions. But this experience of truly feeling pulled specifically toward Romania stuck with me. Well, fast forward almost 10years, two mission trips to other countries later (Dominican Republic and Belize), and an eye opening trip to China to visit a friend...and I have recently been presented with the opportunity to not only go on a mission trip to Romania, but on a MEDICAL mission trip, no less.

The trip is with a church I do not belong to, but trust; with a group of people I do not know, and though it is a medical trip, we have yet to find a sponsoring doctor to lead the trip. This is a test of faith for me.

I've prayed for over six months about the possibility of going on a mission trip this year. I had about four different options. This was the only medical trip, one of the other ones coincides with a wedding I can't miss, and one of them is a little out of reach. The passionate people at Brookhills have pursued me consistantly to be part of this trip. I have the time, the money, and the desire to go. The only thing I don't have is concrete confirmation of the details of the trip. The doctor, the type of medical work, what I'll actually be doing. I've sat on these unknowns for a while, waiting and praying. And it is time to make a decision. After meeting the team, learning about the strategic partnership with E3ministries, and the 8 year relationship with the city we are going to in Romania, as well as the long term discipleship followup that new believers will receive through the local established congregation there, I know that the Lord is asking me to "step out" and trust Him that the bridge will appear (aka the details of and during this trip!). Funny, because one of the main evangelism tools we will be using is the Evangicube...which illustrates wonderfully how Jesus is our bridge to God...


I filled out my application, which reserved my flights, and submitted my letter to my boss and docs requesting the time off.


On Christ the solid Rock I stand.