Sept. 14, 1978: "We are approaching Islamabad International Airport where it is 6 a.m. and 30 degrees C. Welcome to Pakistan," announced the British Airways flight attendant. Joy and I along with 2 year old Christina had entered a new phase of our lives. I was a rookie in living in a new country and in ministry to Muslims. Shortly after arrival, I took a tour of the town we lived in on a hot day. The new sights, sounds, and smells made me nauseous and out of commission for a few days!! What a wimp. But over a period of 10 years God helped me adjust, learn Urdu, and thrive in our adopted land.
Leading up to our departure, my wife and I saw clear markers that God was directing us to serve in Pakistan at Bach Christian Hospital. He helped us prepare for ministry and provided an amazing team of prayer and financial partners. My first assignment was to give leadership to the Maintenance and Building Department. It included small building projects, maintaining hospital equipment, keeping utilities going, a stand-by generator and hospital van. Doing so in a developing country is a chapter all of its own. Each of the dozen Pakistanis on my maintenance team did his part. As time went on I helped a Pakistani brother gain experience and confidence to eventually take my leadership role. The security of raising a family on a 15 acre compound composed of a hospital portion and residential allowed Joy, as a young mom to get involved in evangelism.
Fast forward, we were now into our 9th year of service preparing for Home Assignment and were experiencing some uncertainty about our future. Initially I fought the idea that God might be redirecting us. A timely incident that later helped confirm a new direction was when a mob attacked four Pakistani brothers and I selling Christian literature in a conservative town. We were dragged in front of a judge who himself had studied in Canada and obviously had a positive experience. He said “Our people have freedom to share about Islam in his country.” With that he let us go. Our return to Winnipeg happened at a time when there was a new wave of Muslim International students at our Universities. We recognized that we had entered a new season in life and ministry. Although I was working full time in my old trade, as a mechanic, we got connected to a campus ministry where we learned the ropes about ministering to International Students. For the past decade God’s people have allowed us to again serve full time in sharing the Good News with Muslims and mentor others.
In the verse I highlighted, God directed Paul in an unusual way but with clarity. You may be in a confusing stage in your life or ministry. If so, God is able to clear away the fog and give clarity and confirmation of his will. He is our 'Mission Director'.
“Dear God, we know that you have a purpose and place for each of us. Please help us to recognize your voice in directing to specific people or places of service. Amen.”
