Sharing the Vision

By Alicia Jones

For the past four months I have enjoyed the privilege of sharing the vision of Love Help Teach with several churches and at a few special events around the state of North Carolina. The journey of preparation through sharing the vision has blessed me in two significant ways: (1) in seeing God at work across the state and (2) in remembering the biblical basis for why I am going to Ukraine.

I am convinced God is at work all across the state of North Carolina and around the world through the local church. I say such a statement because what I have seen in the past four months is God's spirit at work in small towns and big cities as well as a great number of people with a great love for God and for others in local churches.

Sometimes, in the humdrum of our own lives, we develop tunnel vision. The work we do individually or we see our church doing seems so small and never enough, but the work one individual body of believers does is not all God is doing. Your church and my church are not the only two bodies of believers laboring faithfully in the name of Christ Jesus! God has raised up a great army of diverse and spirit-filled redeemed people. The effort each one puts forth in obedience to God is multiplied over ten-thousand times all across the globe. In my visits to various churches I've begun to do some math, adding up what each one is doing and, wow, the state of North Carolina is not without bold witnesses and a righteous remnant. May we each faithfully continue in love and good deeds.

As I’ve shared with churches the vision of Love Help Teach I have not shared from one scripture, but instead God’s spirit has directed me to a different scripture for each opportunity. These scriptures I’ve shared from have been ones that God had used in my life previously to illuminate the path that has led me to move to Ukraine: Psalm 84, 1 John 3:16-23, Psalm 79, James 2:5-6, and Psalm 61. As I shared I reflected on exactly how I got to this point; I leave four weeks from today to go to Ukraine, and I have been stirred within with a desire to go in obedience and by faith in God Almighty.

Praise God that he cares for the poor and defends the fatherless as the Scripture testifies, and yet his redemption comes to anyone who puts full trust in Him no matter how rich or poor. My prayer is that God’s provision for the Roma of Western Ukraine will prove His faithfulness and sovereignty to all the people of Transcarpathia and that a great number will trust Christ.

These few pictures give a glimpse of the culture of Transcarpathia into which I am about to be immersed; they were taken by Anna when I shared at Green Springs Baptist Church.

 

In His Strength

By Alicia Jones

The weight of this Easter season has hit me in a different sort of way. I am preparing to move to Western Ukraine, and I've come to see that this step of faith will only be done in His strength.

At the cross and through the resurrection Jesus accomplished exactly what he was called and commissioned to do. Nevertheless, from the gospel accounts we see Jesus in the garden in great anguish as he faces this call. After the resurrection, Jesus’ disciples received a call and commission. The Father had sent Jesus; likewise Jesus sent the disciples into the world to preach the gospel of Jesus (John 20:21).

For me, the last two years and three months have passed quickly as I have prepared to serve God wherever he sent me by studying at Seminary. I've treasured the many hours of studying His word and fellowshipping with His people. Now the time is drawing near for me to get on a plane and move to Ukraine, where I believe God has called me to live and serve Him among the Roma of Western Ukraine. To read the entirety of my testimony visit Alicia's Story.

Worshiping God with the Roma in January 2012During these final months of preparation it seems that the reality of this coming step of faith has intensified. Language learning presents both challenges and delights. In my prayers for the Roma, I have become keenly aware of the enormity of my insufficiency to help them and the depth of their need for God Himself. As I've shared with believers across the state of North Carolina the vision for change God has given me for the Roma, I've had to face the realness of what I share and excitement often overtakes me. God is big enough and powerful enough to meet the deepest need. Along the journey of preparation, I have felt powerless and God has graciously reminded me through His word that I go forth only in His strength.

I may be trying to learn a very difficult language, but I must be strengthed by God for the task. I may long to see the Roma be "called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 61:3b, NIV), but it will only be by awesome displays of God's strength and power that such spiritual life will continue springing forth. I may share the vision God has given, but I find myself completely dependent on his strength for this task too. 

"Finally, be strengthened by God and by his vast strength." (Ephesians 6:10, HCSB). There is a call on us all to find strength in God, not in ourselves. His strength is vast. Jesus, even in his anguish on the night before his death conciously chose to depend on God and on "his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:20, NIV). This is the same strength upon which we are invited to depend.