Even though Covid 19 stopped many mission trips and other events that people around the world had to cancel, this year two of our team members were able to join an organization named „God Will Provide“ in helping organizing multiple crusades in Tanzania, Africa from the 17th of March 2021 to the 3rd of June 2021. In the following, I will share my experience on the trip and have some insights regarding mission ministry in general.
It has been almost 9 years now that I am involved in missions and evangelism and I have seen many different approaches towards this ministry. Furthermore the cultural background is very much noticeable in the way people organize and plan their mission-trips. In this particular trip most of the team members had a Russian background and it caught my attention immediately to see that all of them had a very strong passion for what they did.
To give you a little bit more background, I am born in Austria and as I am writing this, me and my wife live currently in Germany. So we live in a more cold-climate culture were most of the society is rather individualistic. We might be focusing a lot on the organizational aspects of such an important trip but sometimes we might neglect the relational part of it.
Everyone has different gifts in different areas - that’s clear. Nevertheless, there is one element that has to be visible in every area. Passion! It’s our excitement for God that brings life to our ministry. To have a spirit of affection for the center piece of all ministries - The people - is what makes the essence of a mission trip.
Passion is more than just a sentimental thought. Passion is all about dedication - A burning fire inside your heart to fulfill God’s Calling & Mission in and through your life. Passion is the zeal to partner with God in a very intensive and joyful way.
I have seen this passion in my colleagues during this trip and what happened there is the result of man partnering with God. We were able to hold six crusades in two different places within Tanzania. Hundreds of people were healed and delivered. Possessed ones were set free. Others received Jesus as their personal savior. Signs and wonders followed us during this entire trip. In fact I am so limited, my words can’t even explain properly how miraculous everything was.
During the installation, a strong wind blew our banner, which had a very sharp iron rod on the bottom, away and it stopped two centimeters above my head. I have no idea how it stopped there. We have seen God’s protection and his leading throughout this trip even though there were many technical challenges that I wish could have been solved earlier, but which were worth the struggle in the end.
The lesson that I take away from this entire trip is the importance of passion in mission & ministry. As an Austrian, I say of course planing is important or other organizational issues - but what matters even more is the heart and the passion behind it. If you’re going to do it - Do it with the right heart!