Today marks the second travel day back to Calgary and the second last day of the missions trip.
After an early breakfast, we left the hotel in St. George, Utah around 7:00am. During the drive, the team read the final chapters of “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper. He explains that Jesus’ Great Commission - the command to make disciples of all nations by proclaiming the Gospel to every tribe and people group - is “binding on His church to the end of the age”. He also describes how those who go to the unreached nations (“goers”) and those who stay to serve at home base (“senders”) are united in partnership, challenging us to ask: “How will I join the great global purpose of God?”
After stopping for lunch in Ogden, Utah, the team set off again and spent time doing our daily devotions. We reflected on 1 Thessalonians 1, where we can learn from Paul’s example of continually praying for other believers. We then chose a person we would partner with, along with the date & time, to pray for the people we met during our STM experience.
We made a pit stop to pick up dinner supplies in Idaho Falls on the way to the camp we are staying overnight in Dillon, Montana. We arrived at the camp in the late afternoon and made a simple pasta meal for our last dinner together as a team.
At our last team debrief, we reflected on the daily devotions and Pastor Rick encouraged us to pray for the people we met during our missions trip regularly - the families we served and the people we served with. He also challenged us to pray for missionaries around the world. He encouraged us also to pray for each other, especially during this time where we are more vulnerable to spiritual attack that will try to dim the conviction we’ve gained during this missions trip.
We each shared our self-assessment of our level of awareness and support for missionaries. Many on the team agreed that there is great opportunity for improving our knowledge and care for missionaries and that this STM is a key step in that direction. Pastor Rick reminded the team that within our group, statistics would predict that 1, maybe 2, members will respond to God’s call to go and the rest will be senders. We all have a part in missions and our responsibility is to discern what our part is.
Before turning in for the night, we were able to do some star-gazing and take in God’s handiwork in the night sky. We were excited to see shooting stars and the Milky Way with our naked eye. It was also a chance for us to have meaningful conversations about our experience, what we plan to do in response, and how we could pray for one another.
As we head to the last leg of the drive back to Calgary tomorrow, we feel bittersweet about this experience coming to an end. May we cling to how God worked in us and through us on this trip and carry it into what He has next for each of us.
