Why? Better yet: “Why Not?”

A post intended to answer the often heard question:

“WHY?”

“Why GO?”

or 

 “Wouldn’t people be better off sending the money 
that would have spent on the mission’s trip to the people
 in the Third World country?”

So let’s take a look at why we have GOne.  
Why we ask others to team up to GO with us.
Why we will not stop GOing.
The number one reason we GO is because 

God’s love 
compels 
us
 to 
do 
something. 

His love challenges us to do more each time we GO. 
His compassion causes us to live and love 
with reckless abandon.

This literally changed my life in 1988:

 “Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act.”  
Sitting home it seems easy to say, “It doesn’t affect me,
 I can stay here in my nice little bubble and 
pretend that orphans, widows and the poor don’t exist.  
Because in my average day I don’t have 
to face orphans, widows and the poor, very often…if ever.”
When I have heard people say, “Wouldn’t it be better to give the money I would spend on airfare to the poor/widow/orphan?”
 I’ll be real honest…
I have a really difficult time swallowing their words.  
I have to wonder, how many really have taken
 their thousands and given it 
to a Third World country need?   
Probably not many.

If I read about the need, the words are empty and meaningless.
But if I see the need, I cannot forget.  
I cannot erase the faces. 
 I can no longer neglect the reality.

Seeing the need changes your life forever.

Hearts are broken and 
lives will never be the same again. 

The faces. 

The faces that even if one tries, can never be erased.

The eyes that pierce through the soul.

The most powerful reality that struck me over and over and over 
{and you will hear me say many times while I have breath} 
is this:

This isn’t a temporary situation 
for the orphan or the orphan kid 
living on the streets or the poor. 

This
 is 
their 
life.

Day in.

-and-

Day out.

If we, who in the Western world, would have a tragedy strike {such as when we lost our home to a fire} we would certainly find it grievous.  It was horrible.  But before long friends like Jerry and Terry and Tavvy and Irma and Sarah and Kim and Carie each came and brought us food and clothes. Seth and Maria loaned us their home to stay in till we found a hotel.  

We had immediate help.
Our situation, although not optimal, it was not desperate.

Not so for the street kids and the orphans around the world.  
There is no friend of theirs who says,
 “Oh.my.gracious! 
What happened to you? 
 Let me help you.”
 
Not.a.chance!

In fact their ‘friend’ is in the exact same boat as they are.  
There is no friend who shows up to 
rescue them from their situation.  
There is no one who suddenly appears
 to alleviate the tragedy.  
There is no one who can jump in and fix it…

well, 


no one


except 


you


and 


me.   

We are His hands and feet.

We are the ones who can change the situation.  

We are the ones that God sends to feed.

We are the ones whom God’s love compels to GO to
 comfort, to aid, to rescue. 

We are their voice. 

If you are reading this, then you have probably heard me share about our love for the orphan.  Our love for the poor.  Our commitment to change the world as much as we can.  

I know many of you have gone and seen with your own eyes.  
But many have not.
At least, not yet.

Truly, you and I both know thousands and thousands
 of well-meaning people 
right around us who would not 
ever even for a split second consider GOing. 

Nice people.
Smiling people.
Would-never-say-a-mean-word people.
But they can’t go.
Or is it that they won’t go?
  
You know one reason why they wouldn’t consider going?

Cause they’re busy, 

that’s why!

They’ve got baseball games and golfing and Pinterest bulletin boards to pin up and kids to run to ballet lessons and music lessons and soccer tournaments and family gatherings 
and well, we just have no idea!
{And for the record, there is nothing wrong with any of those things, but when they consume our days and our resources while ignoring the needs around us – God help us!}


We have to GO!

Our hearts have been stirred by Almighty God for the orphan!
Our hearts have been stirred by Almighty God for the poor!
Our hearts have been stirred by Almighty God for the orphans on the street!
Our hearts have been stirred by Almighty God for the widow.

Ever wonder who’s been stirring your heart?
Ever wonder why He’s been stirring it?

Two good reasons:
You’ve let Him stir it.
And the ‘why’?
Cause He wants you to do something about it!

If we don’t step out of our comfort zone, who will?
If we don’t get serious about meeting the needs, who will?
If we don’t devote our lives to making a difference, who will?

God did not give us plenty to spend on ourselves!


Not even close! 

He gave us plenty so that we would give plenty. 

So that when we are moved with compassion
 we can do something about it!
To pour out our lives for others….
Like this little one begging on the streets of Kampala:

That’s his life. 
On the streets. 
At the feet of strangers all day long.
 Probably all of about 3 or 4 years old.
Can you imagine?

Day in. 
-and- 
Day out.

Tomorrow doesn’t look any different than today for him.

Or this little street girl in the slums…

That’s what she wears daily.
Can you imagine on the most desperate day 
of your life putting it on? 
Me neither.

Yet this is her life.

Day in.

-and-

Day out.

Tomorrow doesn’t look any different than today for her.

Unless you and I do something!

Now that I have seen her, loved her, 
and fed her
 how can I turn my back?

Who will GO and serve with us?
Who will GO and minister to these treasures with us?
Will GO with us to serve alongside the nationals serving?
 Will you GO with us to minister lift up the arms of 
missionaries already there?

Will you GO and be their voice?
Will you GO with us and be 
His hands and His feet?

Dw often says this:

“Don’t ask God if you should go?
Instead, ask Him this, ‘why not?’

We are forming the next GO Team trip for June 1-14th
{to serve in Uganda}.
Cost:  $1,300 + airfare
For more information and an application,
 GO here.

 “Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act.” 

28 thoughts on “Why? Better yet: “Why Not?”

  1. Linny, thank you. God is using you this morning to answer my prayer about "why not?" this year as we wait on our international adoption yet take a step of faith to continue GOing to the nations to serve. Really blessed me today sister. Sometimes I need to be reminded that the mission has a face.
    Love you,
    Rory

  2. Encouraged me to keep GOing. He's already called be back to the babes of Haiti. I literally just posted on my blog the point: "You can't out give God." Because you can NOT out-give God. Thank you for encouraging me again to live by faith.

    It would be AWESOME if God allowed for us to meet up in Africa one day, Linny, to visit (and set free) orphans forgotten in prison. Our Father is so amazing that might just happen!

  3. Thank you for this post today. I have begun speaking to my family about the possibility of our going on this trip. I also texted the Prov. 24:12 verse to my kids as a reminder about making good choices.

    Your blog is fresh air to me each day. You must feel that those of us who are "lurkers" may be slightly voyeuristic in showing up to look at your posts; reading your life vignettes like we are watching just another reality show. Your willingness to be a storyteller, sharing the highs and lows of the life of your family, draws people like me in and makes us want to come back each day to read the continuing drama or comedy or romance or tragedy. Then, after you have drawn us in or even given us a cliff-hanger, making us wait a day or two to find out the rest of the story, you make sure we also read how the Father is watching over each scene with his love, and compel us to see Jesus performing miracles, and then Holy Spirit drawing all back to the Father.

    Even when you are battling through difficulties (and I began reading your blog at the beginning of July so I have read a rollercoaster story for these last 9 months), your writing style of just simple honesty draws us in and gives us lessons in how to go about fighting the "good fight", becoming a great encourager and faith builder for me and, I know, so many others. It's been delightful to get to know you and your family through this blog. Thank you for sharing your heart.

    Have a great day!
    Stacie
    (Carie's sister)

  4. Awesome post. I have the exact quote on my blog. It is just so so true! We were in Ukraine in 2010 and came home without a child. But God, he opened our eyes to the reality of these children, and we are so very thankful He is leading us back for our daughter.

    Tina

  5. I WANT TO GO!! I want to GO Soooooo bad!! But, well I'm 12… I have said to my parents and pretty much everyone I know knows that I want to go!! I want to go love on babies in Uganda, I want to SO bad! (WHich is why I'm REALLY jealous of my 17 YO brother who is inUganda right now with my day and family friend, but I know they are doing amazing things, so I try not to show my jealousy too much 🙂 )
    I want to GO….

  6. I'M GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Linny,
    That sure does sound amazing! Wish we could come too. We are trying to save up enough money to go get our sweetie pie in China, but I had to comment to tell you that we are headed up to NC for Spring Break to a place called "The Master's Mission". We are getting a glimpse of what this ministry is all about. They have an 11 month missionary training program that we are hoping to do once we get our daughter home and assess her needs first. As soon as we feel God giving us a green light, we are OFF! OUTA HERE! I know exactly where you're coming from. Matt and I are compelled to do more with the much we've been given. We are already givers… but I mean REALLY GIVE. We're ready to go! Can't wait! Thanks for putting it out there the way you did today.
    Blessings,
    Rebecca
    http://www.loveisonthemove-hope.blogspot.com

  8. Sometimes God lays it heavy on a person's heart that they know that it is His calling on them to GO.

    Sometimes a person wants to GO because of the others, but if the person GOes is without His love and compassion compelling in the first place, then the person mostly ends up with nothing but frustration.

    1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

    The important thing is to wait for Jesus until you know that your hand is in His hand, His hand is in your hand, and it is with His compassion and love that you are following Him to GO.

    We can't just GO without a personal relationship with Jesus and having His love in us to share to others. I guess that is where I am at the moment.

    Please pray that His love compels. His Spirit in the first place. At one with Him.

  9. I am in. But work doesn't permit those dates. And I REALLY want to go when you go my friend! :o) But I am in. For sure. As soon as possible.

    (I work at a Christian camp … being gone in the summer just doesn't work!)

    Michelle

  10. You know my heart friend! I have the preliminary application in Dwight's hands. When we stepped up for hosting an older child from the Philippines we thought the dates were later in June. We discovered later that the dates overlap! So, God knows my heart and what is HIS PLAN for all involved! If we host…I hope to sign up for the next trip…if we are not approved (still waiting to hear) I will be there. Thank you for using your voice and circle of influence to impact those without one!!!

    Much love!!!

  11. Powerful! It's a direct result of your love for the orphan that I will board a plane headed for Uganda in about 2 months. Thanks Dw n Linny! God bless you and IVO!

  12. I have a meeting scheduled with my pastor tomorrow for his signature on my application. I am so excited to GO and have been praising God since getting the ok from my boss yesterday to take off these 2 weeks in June!

  13. Money does not fix everything. It may be more economically efficient to simply send money, but it is more personally efficient, by which I mean it is more touching to the people we are going to, to actually go. I remember going on some of the mission trips I've gone on and people are amazed that we would give up our time to go work with them. And that speaks more to them than if we had just mailed a few thousand dollars we'd pooled together back home. It speaks more to me, too, honestly, to see how much that touches them, to know that my presence – just my presence! – is Jesus to them.

    I think we are sometimes afraid that if we see the poor, the orphans, the widows directly, we will have to reckon with the fact that yes, they actually exist. But Jesus didn't shy away from meeting them where they were, and may He helps us to not shy away from meeting them there either. I love this post, Linny, love how you speak truth and love about what we're called to do as His children.

  14. Aaaggghhh! My heart is sooo ready to go! My heart has always been ready….and I've had all the excuses too. I especially think, how can I help by going? What could I do? I'm afraid I won't want to leave. My husband says I couldn't go without bringing home one or two treasures in my suitcase! 😉

    Lately, I've thought this passion I have for orphans/missions must be meant for me to pass on to my children and I'll get to watch them go someday. How can this mama of 6, with little ones (I know you're laughing at me…with all your little ones at home) possibly think of going? Well, we'll just pray and ask God…."Why Not?"!!!
    Please pray with me! I'm secretly afraid of what mighty things might be unleashed if I do go!:)

  15. Linny, I want to thank you for this post. It seems short-term missions have come under a lot of fire and criticism lately, even from within the church. I completely understand that there are times when short-term trips are done wrong. But having gone for the first time last year, I can tell you there IS a place in the work of Jesus for short-term missions. The pastor of one orphange where we worked last year said to us,
    "YOU COULD HAVE JUST SENT US MONEY OR SUPPLIES – which we would be thankful for – BUT INSTEAD YOU CAME to show us Jesus. THANK YOU FOR COMING."

    I will be back in Africa this summer, and my heart cannot wait! We'll be spending a week in Ethiopia first, and will just miss your GO team in Uganda! But someday….SOMEDAY….I'm asking God to let me go there with you! Oh, how I would love to serve the people of Uganda with you, friend! Can't wait for that day! 🙂

  16. Hear I an Lord send me! i so want to see the things of Uganda that break The lords heart and delight him. I want to see my African Prince who I adopted in prayer. I want to love babies and come home with strep throat like Emma and say I have loved well! I want to hug her. Also I want to hear the infamous Dad of the year preach and hug him.I want to meet Abby. I want to see and thank the pastors who spent 4 nights in the park and thank them for HUMBELING me! PLEASE pray that THE Lord will provide the finances I need to go next Feb. and pray that He will give me creative ideas on how to raise funds. Janet

  17. I think the trick is to make sure it's a short-term mission trip that communicates reasonable expectations in those who are serving and that's respectful to the people who are served.

    For instance, I once worked for a homeless shelter (in the U.S.). We had HUGE Thanksgiving dinners. Usually there were as many people serving the food as there were dining. Although people may have initially signed up to "do a good thing," I think it was clear, especially among our repeat volunteers, that we didn't actually need that many volunteers. We could have effectively served the food with about half as many. But it was about bringing people out to the shelter–about having them forge a personal connection with the shelter and realize it wasn't such a scary place. And yes, to be perfectly honest, it's well known in the nonprofit world that the personal, emotional connection is what reaps benefits–whether in donations or in political support (we needed friendly folks in our corner when others in the town didn't want us to exist!). So while I'd like to say it was all about serving the immediate needs of the homeless (by feeding them) or even about breaking bread with them (because we did encourage all our volunteers to dine with our guests), it really was, at least on the immediate level, more about changing the condition of the volunteers than about changing the condition of the homeless individuals in our shelter that day.

    Almost everything that you posted above was also about changing the condition of the volunteers–in terms of immediate effects, you wrote mainly about how the volunteers would be effected, not the people served. But, of course, the idea is that down the road there will be longer term effects that benefit the people served.

    I think some of the criticism and disillusionment about short-term missions is that, in some poorly planned or poorly run programs, (1) the mission organizers aren't honest with the volunteers that this is likely the where the greatest effect will be felt (so the volunteers are led to believe that by going there they're helping to solve the people's problems, even when they are doing menial work that could be done by locals (who might benefit from the pay), or (2) sometimes it can be exploitative towards the people "served"–the needs for the volunteers to have a touching and fulfilling experience can overtake the objective of actually serving the locals in a way that is sustainable and respectful.

    As one with an inside view, I would love if you could offer some suggestions on what to look for in a short-term mission trip (and maybe what are some red flags that a particular program might not be the best idea).

    –Rebecca

  18. Totally going. And it all started with your post. The first one, announcing that there is still room left for the Team in Feb. for years I have wanted to go, and when I saw the post, He told me – what are you waiting for, just go!
    And so just like that, I'm going! Cannot wait. Without fear, but certainly a bit anxious, but SO thankful for the opportunity.

  19. Great post Linny! My eyes are open and when it is my season to GO, I will definitely be GOing. As a single mom of 5 with no family and my youngest not having a father, God has clearly spoken that this is not my season, BUT I know one day that I will serve in this way. Thank you for being bold and standing in the truth!
    Rebecca

  20. Linny, What a wonderful post. I heard that verse for the first time about 6 months ago, and every so often the Lord has it re-appear in my life. I love how he reminds me!
    I appreciate those beautiful little faces you included in your post– why go?> just look at those kids and it is EASY to answer that question.
    I wanted to go on this GO Team trip in June oh so bad, but we just found out that I am pregnant. 🙁 Bummer. (well I mean it's awesome I am pregnant, but I am disappointed to not be able to go minister.) I am praying my husband will still go?? Pray that God will move his heart! I'm more of the one who was compelled to go, and he said ..sure I'll go too. But pray God will compel him! I would love for him to be able to be a part of God loving the orphans in Uganda!

  21. Linny, What a wonderful post. I heard that verse for the first time about 6 months ago, and every so often the Lord has it re-appear in my life. I love how he reminds me!
    I appreciate those beautiful little faces you included in your post– why go?> just look at those kids and it is EASY to answer that question.
    I wanted to go on this GO Team trip in June oh so bad, but we just found out that I am pregnant. 🙁 Bummer. (well I mean it's awesome I am pregnant, but I am disappointed to not be able to go minister.) I am praying my husband will still go?? Pray that God will move his heart! I'm more of the one who was compelled to go, and he said ..sure I'll go too. But pray God will compel him! I would love for him to be able to be a part of God loving the orphans in Uganda!

  22. Oh how my husband and I would LOVE to GO, wonder if we could raise the funds by then, we are starting our Homestudy to start our journey of adoption…fundraising now for that but know God is calling us to visit as well and be his hands and feet…praying for the funds to be able to do both….would love to join your team…please keep us in your prayers.

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