Strategic Placement

I am sitting in an illegally-constructed makeshift apartment in someone’s backyard, a little south of Fresno, CA.  A friend of mine lives here along with several immigrant farmworkers.  He is a pastor now, but I met him almost fifteen years ago, on my first mission trip.  I was fifteen and he was the translator for us at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.  We have stayed in touch (a bit loosely) ever since.  He has not always lived in these apartments, and tonight he shared with us how God has brought him here.

(Work on the orphanage wall on Grady's first mission trip - Grady second from right)

A few years ago he was slated to lead another mission trip to Mexico, but a few things happened where they were going and the leaders did not feel comfortable taking a bunch of high school kids there.  They decided this after the kids had already gotten to California, so he had to find something to do with them.  He learned of some big needs in the community where he now lives, so he brought his kids there, and throughout the week several people accepted Christ.

There was not a Spanish church close enough for the new Christians to plug into though, so he brought the need to his sending church, and they said: “Well, why don’t you go start one?”

So he did and moved in with the people he is serving.  And he told us:  “I love every minute of it!  God has put me in the most strategic place, where I can do ministry just poking my head out the door.  He sent Jesus to the most strategic place as well.  If it would have reached more people, he could have sent him to a palace, but he knew it would be more strategic to send him to a manger in Bethlehem.”

I love his perspective, and it is awe-inspiring to see how God works and places us strategically where he can use us most.  Please join us in praying that God would use all of us strategically, no matter the location.