It is easy to stay excited about God’s mission when you get to see how it changes people’s lives. At MRN, it was hard for us not to be able to travel internationally for well over a year. It isn't just that it was impossible to complete some of our work from the States or that Zoom is less effective than in-person meetings. Even more challenging was the emotional hit our staff took in our motivation when we could not see the impact of our work in person.

There is something impossible to explain about the impact it has on you when you go onsite to another country and see the transformation in the lives of people who have recently come to Jesus, hear their stories, and see the hope and joy they have now. When you know that you are connected to that story, even though it was God's work for his glory, it just changes you inside. Your joy expands, your energy multiplies, your creativity flows, and your motivation shoots through the roof.

Recently I was blessed to spend a week in Rwanda with African Transformation Network, a long-time ministry partner of MRN, along with some traveling companions who were seeing it for the first time. We got to meet with their board and staff, both of which are now almost entirely Rwandan. We saw the various access ministries demonstrating God's love for his people. We saw the teaching of agricultural skills that dramatically increases yields, providing vocational training that enables people to get off the street and support themselves, providing education for the next generation, and giving hope to the hopeless. We got to sit in on a discovery Bible study with vulnerable women who had been rescued from the street and given hope in Jesus and hear them tell of the difference Jesus had made in their lives. We witnessed eight of those women baptized into Christ at the end of that week. It was an amazing experience.

We also got to visit the genocide memorials and hear first-hand the stories of survivors who lived through the traumatic horror on ‘94 which still touches everyone and everything in Rwanda. Seeing the transformation that comes from the Spirit of God at work in places that have experienced such darkness has a massive impact on a person that can't be quantified.

Part of the reason we were there was because of some growing pains and organizational challenges ATN has been experiencing. But that seemed very small compared to the power of the gospel to change lives that we observed first-hand. God's work continues as the workers make the needed adjustments. Those of us who were there visiting came back with a clearer vision for how we can live on mission where we are and more motivation to join God in his mission.

When we get too far removed from people and places where God is bringing transformation, it is easy to get cynical about church or faith. There are always so many problems and challenges that we can lose heart easily. That is especially true in a culture that is flooded with bad news and polarizing powerplays constantly.

Is there a lot of darkness in the world? Yes. There is no denying that. But is it greater than the power of God? By no means! God is winning and will triumph. The resurrection of Jesus started the ultimate victory, and the power of resurrection is ongoing as the story of Jesus gets repeated thousands of times every hour of every day.

I heard Leith Anderson say, shortly before the pandemic, that every hour of every day, 3,000 people give their life to Jesus somewhere around the planet. That means every hour of every day is another Pentecost, just not all at one place. We need to get closer to where the transformations are happening so we can be inspired to keep going, join in the effort, and have our spirits revived. Seeing the transformation changes everything.

Seeing Transformation Changes Everything