Summer 2023 MiLO - Blog 10

 

Summer MiLO Blog 10
Missions Purpose & Challenge

Throughout scripture you can see that God has a missionary heart. His love for the people He created was to love them where they were and provide them an opportunity to ask why. John 3:16 shows the depth of God’s love and His desire to save creation from its depriving by sacrificing His only son. Some other Biblical examples are found in Genesis 3:15, Genesis 12:3, Psalm 67, Psalm 96, Isaiah 49:6, Jonah 1:1-2. 

We see Jesus and His passion for the lost and example He set for us to follow: Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 22:34-39, Mark 1:17, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 6:45, Luke 10:25-37.

God's plan and heart is mission oriented.  Jesus shares three responsibilities for all Christ followers:

  1. Great Commission: make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)
  2. Great Commandment: love others (Matthew 22:33-40, John 13:34-35)
  3. Great Compassion: help others (Mark 6:34, Luke 19:10)


WHY MISSIONS?

For God so loved the world and wants all to hear the message that all who believe and trust in His son will not perish. The gospel is God’s power to save all who believe. Romans 1:16

God happened to call me to Croatia back in 2006 to love people where they are and till they ask why, and we have had many follow us here every year. We started out this week with a flurry of activity: in two libraries with fun activities and "read to me", on the baseball field with camp as well as American Football camp in Split. Our team divided and conquered each area with activities to teach, skills to learn and hearts to love. Leading camps off in prayer and then picking a time to share a testimony and how God’s love changed a life is always special. In the library setting we have to be more careful with sharing. It’s a government building and we have been invited so loving and sharing with them is done through activities and time spent with them. Planting seeds is what God has asked us to do and that is what we do and pray those seeds will fall on good soil. 

Below are pictures that show those activities that we did throughout the week. 

Library Program
Baseball Camp
Football Camp

School Camp

We were approached by a school camp and asked if we would run a baseball camp for their participants. On Wednesday morning we spent two hours teaching the game to forty-eight 5th and 6th graders. This is a new program the city of Sisak started to provide fun for those children who didn’t have the opportunity to go to the coast for vacation. We had a ball teaching them the basics and playing home run derby. 

Day Care

Our football coaches had the opportunity to go to a day care in Split that had 15 Ukrainian children. They had the opportunity to love on the kids through an abbreviated football skills camp. It was a special time for the kids, but I believe the coaches had just as much fun loving on those kids. 

We come because God expects us to reach those He places in our path. We share through the example Jesus showed us and with the power given us in the Holy Spirit. We are all involved in missions, either as goers or senders. Neither can be possible without the other and one is not more biblical than the other. Romans 10:13-15

Thank you for supporting us to be the hands and feet of Christ here across Croatia. We couldn’t do it without your support. 

HE DID IT!

Let’s Do IT!

David 

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