A Global Impact

On Friday, Evan and I were privileged to spend our day representing Sumatanga at a Global Impact Conference. It was such an honor to be counted as missionaries next to those from Togo, Kenya, Mexico and China. I often think of missionaries as those serving outside of the United States and certainly not something that I am. We were able to eat, fellowship and worship with these individuals that were born and serve all around the World. It was a phenomenal experience.

I was completely fascinated to sing old hymns and new praises in English and then sing them again in Swahili and Spanish. It was beyond encouraging to think that there are individuals of all ages and races, singing and praising the same God as I do.

One of my greatest friends, Halley, has been gone since August on the "The World Race." She is serving as a missionary to 11 countries over 11 months and is currently making her way through Africa. I miss hear dearly but it has been awesome to talk to her and hear what she is experiencing and who she is meeting in each place she visits. I cannot fathom how touching it must be to be ushered into worship with those who risk their lives to be Christians, those whose villages have just heard of Christ for the first time and those who unashamedly lift their songs and dance to God in awe of Him even after horrible wars and tragic deaths.

I have not yet had the experience of serving Christ over seas but I like to live vicariously through Halley and those I met on Friday. I feel somewhat more globally connected after standing at the conference with my new foreign friends and by asking Halley to hug everyone she meets on my behalf. I feel a little closer to sharing a little piece of my life with orphans and refugees by sharing a quick word with Hal as she stays up late at night to talk to us back home and through a simple day of fellowship with people I may never see again.

I have no doubt that Halley and her team and those I met serving in Togo, Kenya, China and Mexico are simply doing so out of divinely inspired love. Each of these individuals have made me feel loved and I can only imagine how their love is reaching to all the ends of the Earth. Each of these missionaries have only encouraged me to love more here in Alabama as they are doing the same across their own lands. How awesome it is to be connected all around this World through Christ! I find myself inspired today.

Who is inspiring you?