THE MISSION FIELD... IN OUR OWN BACKYARD

Naim Choi, Intercultural Site Pastor

Church history provides us hundreds of thousands of names of ordinary people who committed their lives for the sake of the Gospel. William Carey, Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, and the list goes on and on. Many of these missionaries went to unfamiliar lands not knowing the language, culture, not even certain about their very safety when they arrived. One thing they all had in common was their deep desire to answer the call of the Lord. Whether they were inspired by Christ’s words of the Great Commission or Isaiah’s words in chapter 6, “send me”, they went.

I personally have a profound attachment to the missionaries, their lives, their sacrifices, their impact. In the early 1900’s, British missionaries were deployed to my birth country, Pakistan. My grandfather, a tanner by trade, encountered one of these missionaries. The details of exactly how this occurred are vague within my family. The important piece is that my Grandfather accepted Jesus and imparted this legacy within our family. I am the third generation of believers, my son Noah the fourth. Praise God! I am the first member of my family to pursue ministry as an ordained pastor.

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'" (Romans 10:14-15)

My story of faith unfolded because “the feet of the messenger brought good news”!

Stafford mentioned last week in his Friday writing “that the missionaries would bring their stories” back home to share. At RockPointe Church we are fortunate in having many “stories” that can be shared from several of the faithful we sit next to during worship on Sunday morning. They may not have slides or pictures, but they have compelling stories of how God is using them to reach the nations - not the nations in far off lands, but the nations in our own backyard! The feet of many messengers travel, not across the globe, but just across the city, to share Christ’s love for His people throughout the week at RockPointe Intercultural. These volunteers, representing youth, young adults, not-so-young adults, and seniors, come from every site and number close to 100. They have all experienced the local mission field. They have come to an understanding that the lost cannot believe if they’ve never heard. They know that those who suffer cannot come to know Christ without feeling His love. During our regular debriefing time at RPI we share the stories of those we serve, coming from over 2 dozen countries. They are stories of leaving war-torn communities, loss, trauma, fear, and struggle. But that’s only part of what we share. We also talk about how we have prayed with some of them and have brought words of encouragement and practical advice in navigating their new home in Canada….

• A Ukrainian mother who arrived with 4 children: Although her husband could have come with his family, he chose to stay behind and serve his country. Last March, the family was informed that he died in battle. The mother brings her children every week to RPI. While she attends ESL class, her older kids also attend a Youth ESL class facilitated by a dedicated team of RockPointe young adults. The younger sibling receives academic tutoring from another volunteer team, learning to better his reading and math skills.

• An Afghan mother and her 5 children: This family receives similar supports. Just last week, when one of our volunteers thanked them for coming so regularly the adolescent son replied, “I love coming here. I wouldn’t miss it for anything!”

If you want to hear more “stories”, shoulder tap any of the RPI “missionaries” and ask them to share some of their personal experiences, using their giftings, coupled with deep compassion, to bring hope, encouragement, practical skills, and love to the least-reached people of the nations. RockPointe Church has answered the call of Christ in saying, “here I am Lord, send me!”