I remember when I was 11 years old. It was my first time in Ecuador as a missionary kid. The church went on this group outing. We sat on this long bus ride that was overly warm and had broken down several times along the way. We went to a snow-capped volcano called Cotopaxi. We were supposed to stop at a parking lot about 700 ft. below the second refuge and then head up the path to have hot chocolate, play in the snow, and sit around the fireplace in the lodge. Supposed to… At one point the bus was slowly making its way up the heavily rutted path when a group of people decided that it would be “faster” to climb from that point rather than wait to reach the parking lot. So, it was decided that we would get out there, make our way up the mountain, and then meet up with the bus later. My dad and I went with that group. As we were hiking up the mountain, it started to snow. Mind you, I was not in cold weather hiking gear, I was in knitted mittens and a knit snow cap, jeans, and a coat not designed for snowy weather on a mountain. As we got higher, the path got harder. It was easy at first, but the last bit was the roughest. Eventually, we made it to the parking lot where the bus (and those who decided to stay behind) were waiting for us. We re-grouped and from the parking lot to the refuge the path was even worse. Every two steps you took, you would slide back a little in the soft volcanic soil. It was a TRUDGE as our steps sunk into the ground. I finally made it to the second refuge at 15.900 ft., just below the snow line.
After a brief rest, the group (most of whom had remained on the bus) decided to hike 15 more minutes to trek the 500 ft. to the snow line to play. I was not up for that and I did not care about anything at all at that point other than being tired, cold, hungry, and not having as much fun as I was led to believe this hike was going to be. I sat down and promptly refused to move. It was there I fell asleep for several hours while everyone else went up to the snow line to play in the snow. I may harbor a small regret that I did not have the will power at 11 years old to forge ahead and end this story with how I got to play in the snow at 16.400 ft. up in the Andes on a snow-covered volcano, but instead have to settle for the less exciting ending of how I slept at 15.900 ft. at the second refuge on a snow-covered volcano.
In attempting new things and new adventures. The way can often seem like you are battling against a constant TRUDGE of two steps forward and then slide one foot back, or that with every step you sink into the ground a bit and have to pull your foot out to then take the next step. It can be exhausting to maintain that and a smile on your face. And when you get to a warm area, you may feel like stopping and just falling asleep instead of pushing on to have fun in the snow 500 feet away. It can feel like all you want to do is pack it up and go home. We all have these moments where the David and Goliath or Gideon stories resonate with us, but that is when you are looking back on it from a safe distance of a couple of decades. In the middle of it is not as easy to see God in the midst of working things out, but we know and have faith that He is there.
Sadly, it is my time to leave IMM. I have been in the process of becoming a fully appointed missionary so that I can come back to work with IMM. However, after all the pushing and TRUDGING, I have to stop to take care of some paperwork that will ultimately delay things by as much as a year. Now I could choose at this point to simply stop and say, “here and no further” and be pleased with the effort I have made to this point for God’s Kingdom. However, I am no longer an eleven-year-old boy. And so in spite of the setbacks, I will continue to forge ahead. I go now so that I may come back as quickly as possible.
IMM has also been going hard to put the gospel of Jesus on every screen and yet we have setbacks with finances, staffing, and health. BUT, this is not where we stop. This is where we dig in and fight harder. This is where we are reminded that God told Gideon that triumph was not due to the numbers of people or the weapons used. This is where two people, Jonathan and his shield bear go up the face of a mountain “to see what God will do” against thousands of enemies of Israel. It is here that we are reminded that God’s glory is in the margins. The greater the margin between your best effort and the success of that victory, the more God’s glory fills in and His glory can shine through your faith that you are not alone. Now is not the time to settle in, sit back, or fall asleep. The battle is still raging on and people are dying by the thousands – people who have not yet heard that the one true God loves them so much that He sent His only Son to die for them. This is why I want to come back, this is why I push on, this is why I support my bosses in their vision. This is why you should not weary in all that you do and this is why IMM needs you now, more than ever! Stand up and let IMM know that you are with us, heart and soul!
Victory may only be only 500 ft. away!