by Pastor Patrick Cho
It’s June 28, which means that the LBC Argentina mission team departs in just thirty-four days! And the Czech Republic team leaves in less than two weeks! Time is quickly winding down as both teams make their final preparations and raise their final support. It is an exciting time for sure, but it has also been easy to become anxious. Even though we are returning to the Czech Republic for the sixth time it is still impossible to foresee every contingency and there is still a great deal to plan. For the Argentina team, last year’s trip was our first and we are very much looking forward to building upon the relationships that were begun. However, with that trip we do not have the advantage of years of experience in that country.
It becomes very tempting in light of the circumstances and our inability to foresee all the challenges to simply plan more and more. Plan for hardship. Plan for unforeseen hindrances. Plan for financial setbacks. Of course planning is good but everything gets turned upside down if we plan to the point that we neglect the Lord’s plan. “The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps,” Proverbs 16:9. One of the most encouraging aspects about this year’s missions preparations is the commitment that the teams have had to prayer.
Please pray during these last few weeks. The teams have been praying but hopefully our senders are also praying (as they indicated on their support cards!). We trust that the church has been praying. Hopefully our families and friends have been praying. With so much planning, it is easy to start trusting in our own preparedness and to neglect the crucial lessons that God might be trying to teach us along the way. Think of the number of missed opportunities, missed life-lessons, missed blessings all because of our failure to seek the Lord in prayer. We recognize that God is the one who has orchestrated everything thus far in our preparations, and He is the one who will see the work to completion. Praise God for His sovereignty in all things!