[Beyond Arkansas: Nicaragua Mission Trip] 4/06/2006 11:37:00 AM

[Chris]

Several of you have called or emailed to check on how I am doing with all of this. Please know that I appreciate you prayer and concern. I think that it wasn't until the full story came out last night that I truly realized what happened. I don't think that I have completely mourned the loss of my brothers...mourning isn't something that I let myself do easily, but I know the importance of it in the healing process. I know that I have lots of shoulders to cry on and brothers and sisters to hug when I need you. I know that yall are there, and I thank you. The cool thing is that we mourn but we do not mourn like those that have no hope...for we have the very essence of hope in Christ. So while I grieve deeply for Wanda and Karen and the rest of the families and I hurt for them and their loss, I find comfort in having known Jack and Bert and seen thier hearts.

I know that these men understood what it meant to sacrifice. That they truely knew what it meant to put the Lord first, others secodn and themselves third.

I am proud to have served alongside with them in the service of our King.

I hate the fact that I returned home to my wife and 2 of my TEAM members did not. I don't take the concept of team lightly and so it pains me to feel unable to help as I am stuck here in Arkansas. Don't misunderstand me I am so grateful to be home with Tara, and thank the good Lord that he allowed me to come home to her...but I hate the feeling of having brothers down in the field that I cannot go help. Everything about my nature yearns to go and rescue them. But I cannot. Nor do they any longer need rescueing...for that are in the arms of the Great Rescuer who is far more sufficient than I.

I saw Jack's heart for the people of Nicaragua and it inspires me. I sat and talked with Bert last week about 40 years of marriage and it challenged me. May I one day hope to love God's people and my wife with such a passion.

So while I would never wish this evident to have happened, I take comfort in knowing that Jack and Bert lived as valient and Godly men until the end of thier days here on this earth. I pray that I learn from them and my heart is never the same again.

So lastly I praise our Lord for these men and their hearts. I praise God for the Godly legacies they leave behind. I praise God that He is Sovereign. I praise God we do not have to mourn as those that have no hope.


I feel better having typed this. Just the last few minutes in front of the computer screen was good for my heart. I was good to share. Thanks for reading. Thanks for praying. Thanks for loving.

But this blog isn't about me. It is about the ministry in Nicaragua and I pray for how our God will work in that country inspite of and through this event.

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Posted by Chris to Beyond Arkansas: Nicaragua Mission Trip at 4/06/2006 11:37:00 AM