All My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to Go...

It was a long day of packing/organizing/shopping/re-organizing/re-packing but it has come to an end and other than a few last-minute details that I need to take care of on Monday night, I am ready to go!!

Internally, I feel ready to go, too. I have spent a fair amount of time this past week taking advantage of my online library resources as a Bethel Seminary student. I have been looking up journal articles and research papers that discuss healthcare, religion, and political violence in Cote d'Ivoire and I have been learning a LOT as I try to wrap my mind around the interrelated nature of those categories.

The past six years in Cote d'Ivoire have been ripe with conflict between the government forces that control the southern part of the country and the "New Forces" rebels that occupy the north. Several years ago ('02ish-'04ish), the danger from the conflict reached a heightened level that led to the evacuation of nearly all of the foreign missionaries in the country. This left young Ivorian churches with the challenge of sustaining their ministries amidst the civil war without the help of seasoned believers.

The evacuation also had devastating effects on the healthcare system as large numbers of healthcare professionals (many who were Chrisitans) fled the country. Nearly 90% of healthcare facilities in the rebel-controlled territories ceased to operate. Healthcare resources became less available as the need for them dramatically increased. The HIV/AIDS epidemic runs rampant in the context of wars and ethnic conflict and that has certainly been the context of Cote d'Ivoire over the last decade. The disease tends to kill the productive section of the economy which leaves churches that are already economically poor to face the challenge of losing their pastors, teachers, and other leaders. The social and economic strain resulting from the disease leads to further instability which in turn fosters the political conflict.

It turns out to be a vicious cycle which can prove discouraging as I try to wrap my mind around the barriers it presents to spreading the gospel to the 107 different people groups that reside in the country. It is in those moments of discouragement that I am comforted to know that we serve an omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), sovereign God who is bigger than an epidemic virus, bigger than rebel forces, bigger than relentless economic strain, whose Spirit is at work in building His church in ways far beyond human wisdom or understanding. I am excited to go over and experience the work He is accomplishing in Cote d'Ivoire firsthand. I am armed with a TON of questions for my hosts and I hope to return with an even clearer picture of the work that needs to be done.

I am staying in the northern part of the country and am not really sure what to expect while staying in the "rebel-controlled" area (reminiscent of Bolivia?). I don't believe there is any active conflict going on right now. Even if there was, I find it comforting to know that the worst they can do is kill me (Matthew 10:28)! I say that genuinely after having spent the last few months doing a fair amount of reading and thinking about having an "eternal mindset." As I am challenged to choose eternal rewards over temporal pleasures, I find that my grip on life itself is loosening as I recognize the fleeting presence of my mortal flesh and the eternal glory that awaits those who have been justified by the blood of Christ. But, until that glorious day arrives, I will choose, by his strength, to serve Him faithfully in whatever tasks he has appointed for me.

Thanks for making it to the end of a fairly long post!! Tomorrow after church I leave for an overnight retreat with the leadership team for our young adults group at church. I am just joining the team this fall and I am really looking forward to it! We will be using our time this weekend to set an overall vision for the year, discuss each of our delivery systems, and do some planning for our fall events. It has taken me awhile to get involved here in Rochester and I have definitely felt the void of ministry opportunities in my life. After sucking up a year's worth of information at seminary, I am looking forward to the opportunity to put some of it into practice. The knowledge alone doesn't do us any good if we don't DO something with it in His service!

Time to go to bed....I've got a big week coming up!!

Under the mercy,
Eva Joy : )