So often I (Travis) find myself jealous of other missionaries serving in places like Africa, South East Asia, the Middle East, South America, etc… these are places I call “the sexy” mission field, there’s a certain automatic appeal about these places.  Generally (and very generally) people (mostly Americans) associate this appeal with either Islam, third world, or poverty. All of which need missionaries, and more importantly need missionaries who know what they are doing, can create reproductive groups of fellowships, and love on the people like Jesus does. My problem isn’t with the work, it’s with the immediate reaction, and “understanding” that comes so easily because, well, it’s heart breaking to see people in such poverty, war-torn, and sad situations.  If people didn’t have this reaction, I would be second guessing the Church more than I already do!

My “problem” is me, it’s my own immediate reaction to say “BUT WHAT ABOUT POLAND?? (and other nations like it)”‘, but most of the time I keep that reaction well under control. The jealousy comes from the overwhelming support people provide to those “sexy” places, sure there are more tangible needs – water, food, shelter – yeah I better hope we’re helping those kinds of places (while making life-long relationships and providing education and tools to build up self-sustaining generations). I just have a hard time swallowing that reality when I know there’s 10′s of millions of people (including here in America) who go about their day with “everything” and have zero relationship with God, many by choice, and yet, as in Poland, many with out an opportunity to discover Him in true, God-seeking relationships.

Is not the greatest call, the bottom line of the Church to have people know God personally? To know who Jesus is, was, and is to come? May I never loose this heart, and may our hearts melt for Poland more and more. Click “Why Poland” to find out more about the spiritual needs in Poland.