Faith is the non-physical sense that enables us to perceive and work with the invisible.
The firmly held assurance that God will come through is the conviction that is the foundation for actions when there was nothing tangible or visible to go on.
When our Indonesia team was invited this summer by the Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship to the Philippines, their belief that God was summoning them led to a change of plans, from Indonesia to the Philippines.
The destination was new and untested; the team acknowledged physical limitations and a budget shortfall. Yet their inner conviction and sense of calling were compelling enough for them to step into the unknown. It was a rewarding week of hard work at times serving up to 250 patients per day, and beyond their expectations, 30 national volunteers were on hand daily to support our team.
Of course we can do without faith. We can implement plans based on information gathered through our physical senses, curated by our natural wisdom, and aided by artificial intelligence.
Faith, however, is the one thing needed to regulate our mission’s operations, because it gives substance to God’s unseen prevenience, especially if we want divine commendation.
The challenge for me and for those leading our new strategic plan is persevering in faith. To see the long-term while working on the short-term.
For over a century missionaries’ investments in Africa and Asia continue to provide healthcare and education. They are permanent records that faith empowers great work, revitalizes the weary, and does the impossible. EMAS Canada can do the same.
Some of our current international partners are the products of the visions of pioneers who ventured with nothing but the promises of God, many died before the institutions we work in were built to what they are today.
When Moses opted to fight for the rights of slaves in Egypt, he forfeited the right to royalty in the short-term and embarked on an 80-year journey leading many to a destination he did not reach. His ability to look forward to the ultimate, while working on the immediate accounts for his great reputation, essentially it was what he believed about God that controlled his mind. Despite complaints and needs, his venture lacked no resources.
Peter Agwa is the Executive Director of EMAS Canada. A physician and surgeon in his native Kenya, Peter has a passion for Christ-centred healthcare and has a wealth of experience both hosting and sending short-term mission teams. Subscribe to Executive Director's Blog