Saturday, January 26, 2008

Are we radical enough to make a difference?

Today we went to Missions Fest in Vancouver and I really enjoyed it. I listened to 3 speakers total and I enjoy 2 of them. The first one was called: Two Sides of the Same Coin - Loving People, Learning Languages. It focused on how when getting ready to go to a different country you should learn some of their language. If you take the time to learn just a little bit of their language and actually use it, it makes the people feel loved and valued. He gave us some tips to learning a language... it all helped. The last tip was to NEVER GIVE UP:) No matter how hard it may seem... you cant give up or else you wont learn. He also gave some tips about, when we get to our country, how to keep up with the language. It all was interesting and it helped to know before I leave for Peru.
The second speaker was not quite as interesting. Me and Brianna ended up walking out because of the lack of interest.
The third speaker was by far my favorite. We had a schedule with all the speakers and what times. Me and Brianna were checking out some of the booths and we stopped at a booth and was talking to him. A lady came up to him and said that he had to speak in a little and it was in room 18. I looked at Bri and said that it sounded great and that I wanted to go listen to him. We made our way to the room and sat down. Only about 10 youth were in the room just because the talk wasn't on our schedule. His name was Darryl Wright and he was talking on: Youth Winning Their World for God!
He shared stories about young kids in Lima Peru that were radical for Christ. That was his main point... are we radical enough to make a difference. Here are a couple stories:
The most important date in Cuba is a young ladies 15th birthday. The date they go from being a child to a young lady. The family and friends of the young girl would put on a huge party and have lots of food and gifts. Well this one young girl was about to have her 15th birthday and her parents set her down and told her that if she didn't stop talking about God and sharing the message they wouldn't give her her party. She was broken. The pastor of her church found out what her parents told her and he rounded up the young kids and collected money and gave her a party. She said after that that nit was the best birthday of her life.
He pointed out that she was radical enough for God that she was willing to give up the most important day of her life. Are we that radical?
Another story was about a young 14 year boy named Christian from Lima Peru. He was given the job of helping people on the street to get food for his family. On a certain nit every week was a gathering at his church and he skipped work that night every week to attend this gathering. This parents didn't know that he wasn't working. From the gatherings he would be given Bible verses and he hid them away and kept reading them to himself. Soon his mother found out about him skipping work and founded his verses and started ripping them up. He broke down and started crying. He finally spoke through his tears and said "Mom... I was saving those so maybe one day I could've had my own Bible!" Later he went back to the gathering and he said that he didn't think he was supposed to be a missionary. The leaders looked at him and gave him a strange look. They asked why and he said that he couldn't be one without a pair of shoes. They told him to pray to God and ask him to give him shoes. The next week he walked in the gathering with a brand new pair of Nike running shoes and a smile on his face. They were given to him by two brothers who brought 2 boxes of new shoes to kids like him.
That really spoke to me. How those kids can be so on fire for the Lord and have so little. Why can't we be like that.
So... are we radical enough to make a difference in our towns? Where are all the radicals in Canada? In America? We need to step out and become more like him and radical for Christ!!

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