It was February 20th last year when the journey I’m beginning to blog about began. Previously I hadn’t been serving in East Africa for 9 years, my last blog post was April, 2013. I have been back over there several times, but not lived there since 2013. It started when I had a knock at my door where I found one of the children my heart loved dearly from my time over there. No longer a child, but now a young man of integrity, and a passionate love for God’s Word and Gods people. His name is Arafat Musa, he was here in the states to speak at the Moyo Missions Gala, the organization that took him in as a child and raised him up into the man he is today.

Never could I have dreamed that one day Arafat would be in my home here in the states. It was wonderful to see him, to hear about his life and how well he is doing. His visit was made possible by two of my dear friends, Sydney and Collins Mugume of Mtoto W’afrika who brought him to see me. Their visit stayed on my mind over the next few weeks as God kept nudging me to listen close as He had plans for me once again. On March 30th I surrendered to the redeploment He was calling me to.

To say it’s been an easy journey since last March would most definitely not be truth, yet the truth is, I never questioned whether I heard my assignment correctly. I held firmly to Gods hand, knowing and trusting He would not have called me to redeploy if He wasn’t going to take me through the trials that came. Being homebound due to illnesses, including major surgery for a good portion of last year wasn’t easy, yet during that time He was molding me, preparing me for my upcoming redeployment on February 4th. I’m headed back to Uganda, East Africa, returning to now serve with Sydney and Collins Mugume of Mtoto W’afrika in the northern part of the country.

The question I have been asked the most about this journey has been concerns about my age, people wondering should I go to the foreign mission field at 66 years of age. I understand why people would be concerned, and enjoy answering the question. I always share that God wouldn’t have called me to go back if I wasn’t able to complete His assignment, that the safest place I could be in this world is the center of His will no matter where His will takes me.

A favorite pastor of mine for many years of my christian journey has been Dr. David Jeremiah. I watch the Shadow Mountain Community Church services live every Saturday night, and also read a lot of his books. His book, “Forward” – “Discovering God’s Presence in Your Tomorrow” – Chapter 9 – “Finish: – “You’re Not Done Until You’re Done”, speaks where my heart is, and will encourage others to be open for deployment or redeployment.

He says: “Let’s face it. You have a great vision, pray godly prayers, choose the right goals, and focus on the right things. So far, so good. You can also pursue your dreams and make huge investments in God’s Word, His work, and His wealth. But if you don’t finish what you start, it’s like a building that has never been roofed.” 

“Yes, your role may change. Your assignments may evolve and your situation may alter. You may have to make adjustments. Even so, one fact won’t change: as long as God leaves you on earth, He has ongoing work for you. There’s no expiration date to the principles I’m teaching you in this book. You never retire from the Christian life, and you never drop out of God’s will.”

He quotes Os Guinness: “I think it’s important to recognize that we can retire from our jobs, but we can never retire from our calling. Calling gives us our sense of task or responsibility, right up to the last day we spend on earth, when we will go to meet the Caller. I think that gives life incredible value, and therefore the prosperity of finishing well is that we continue to have a sense of responsibility and engagement that makes each day we live enormously important. This is also a subject in which the Christian view provides such a compelling contrast with the secular view, which tells you that you’re over the hill when you reach a certain age.”

Dr. Jeremiah is a spiritual hero of mine, a spiritual giant who is now in is 80’s, and continues to lead by example. When the Caller calls me home I want to leave behind a legacy of surrender and obedience, to finish the job God has called to complete.

Thanks for taking this journey with me,

Joy

Isaiah 46:4 NIV “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”