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Staff Reports
Reports of recent Trips and Work by Godspeed Missionary Care
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Staff Missionary Reports
Reports and Experiences of the Godspeed Staff
Restoration
"Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored!
Renew our days as of old--"
Lamentations 5:21
Polar opposites in personality, one methodical and structured,
the other emotional and reactive. One blind to the impact
of words on the other, the other deaf to the intended meaning
behind those words. So many episodes of poorly sent messages
so poorly received that fear-driven avoidance of further
interaction far outpaces any desire for resolution. The
meeting that I am to facilitate is scheduled near - last to
postpone the seemingly inevitable accentuation of dissension
by the very effort of addressing it. These two, so different,
share little in common except rather tragic pasts, a love for
Jesus Christ, and a passion that the people of this country
would also learn to love Him. We all approach the scheduled
meeting with trepidation, my words giving lip service to
God's ability to heal the rift, but my internal prayer
something more akin to "Lord, let us just survive this
meeting."
Ah, but it is good to see God strut His stuff. Breakthrough
moments abound, honesty and frankness are accompanied by
humble acknowledgment of ones' own contributions to conflict.
New perspectives on previously insurmountable differences
reframe those very differences as new definitions of shared
vision. Growing awareness that if it is possible that this
heretofore bottomless chasm of misunderstanding can be
spanned, then lesser but still daunting interpersonal issues
among others on the team can be approached with candor and
confidence.
Laughter is robust. The blind see. The deaf hear. The
counselor is stunned by the outcome. This is the
interrelational equivalent of the miraculous absence of a
terminal cancer, the sudden disappearance of lepromatous
disfigurement.
And I can't even take credit for praying for the result,
although I got what I prayed for: we all certainly survived
the meeting. And more, so much more.
Two more days here of opportunity to see God at His
restorative best. Home Saturday. Your notes and prayers
have made it possible for me to be here to be witness to
this miracle. I am very grateful.
Godspeed,
Barney
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