Pit Stop In Uruguay

     “I believed in God in Venezuela, but I had to come to this atheist country to learn what it means to have a real, intimate, joy-filled relationship with Him!” One of our sisters gave this testimony the other night. As a church-planting team, our focus in coming to Uruguay was to make disciples and see a healthy church established in Uruguay. Naturally we expected to be ministering to Uruguayans.
     However, our faith community has attracted quite a group of Venezuelans who, because of the instability and turmoil in their home country, have fled here to the capital of Montevideo. We have not purposely focused on reaching this group of people, but the Lord has clearly been bringing them to us, many with open and eager hearts to know Jesus intimately.
     While it is a joy and privilege to disciple any person of any nationality, I’ve questioned, “Alright Lord, how does having so many Venezuelans in our community affect our goal of reaching Uruguayans? Is it a hindrance? What should we be doing differently?” While these are legitimate questions, it can't be denied that the Father is using this for His glory.
     Many Venezuelans have come to Montevideo and found that it is not what they expected. They’ve been greeted by a high cost of living, exorbitant taxes, and inability to secure jobs in their areas of expertise, and low wages when they are able to find work. Most are struggling to get by month-to-month, never mind being able to save money. For this reason many are seeking to move on to other countries where they hope to be able to get their feet more firmly planted under them.
     Within our faith community we’ve already seen several relocate to different areas of the world, while others plan to set out in the coming months or years. But as they go they leave as different people, having been confronted clearly and built up by the word and love of God. Several of our brothers and sisters are now in various countries, purposefully representing Jesus. I don’t know what God’s doing specifically, but it seems to me that He is working and empowering His children to go and make disciples of all nations.
     What if some of these brothers and sisters are able to live and share the gospel in parts of the world where we as North Americans would not be welcomed? What if God uses them to establish churches where none currently exist? What if… what if… what if…? The possibilities are endless! If, while we are working to see a church established here in Uruguay, the Father uses us as a pit-stop to equip Venezuelans, and others, to carry His gospel to other parts of the world—what an unexpected privilege and joy!
     This wasn’t part of our plan. Only our wise and creative Father would have imagined to bring people to the tiny country of Uruguay to meet Him, build them up, and then send them out to represent Him among the nations!