try again...

Last night one of the girls and i were researching unreached people groups. i was looking through operation world and she was on the internet. she came across this website, open doors, and found the top persecuted countries. They were north korea, saudi arabia, iran, maldives and so on but we stopped at maldives because both of us were unfamiliar with its location. she went up to a world map to look but where do you start to look for a place you've never heard of? so i continued to look randomly in operation world. at that point looking for a latin america country...when i opened up to maldives. ding ding. found it. its part of Asia, little islands off the coast of sri lanka. this is what open doors has to say about maldives(look at maldives' website then read its rather ironic):

"In the archipelago of the Maldives, Islam is the official state religion and all citizens must be Muslims. Sharia law is observed, which prohibits the conversion from Islam to another religion. A convert could lose citizenship. It is prohibited to practice any other religion than Islam, which is considered to be an important tool in stimulating national unity and maintenance of the government’s power. Thus it is impossible to open any churches, though foreigners are allowed to practice their religion in private if they don’t encourage citizens to participate. The Bible and other Christian materials cannot be imported apart from a copy for personal use. In the country -- one of the least evangelized countries on earth -- there are only a handful of indigenous believers, and they live their faith in complete secrecy because of the omnipresent social control by other Maldivians..."

Then i read from what operation world had to say:

religion: islam is the only recognized religion. the open practice of all other religions is forbiden. islam is strongly promoted for national unity and preservation of the government's power. 99.41% muslim.
challenges for prayer: maldivians are still among the least evangelized on earth. no Christian mission work has ever been permitted nor Christian literature allowed. (later under another "prayer point" -->) witness to maldivians in other lands: many travel as sailors, students, seeking medical care, etc.

mmm ok. so i read the "seeking medical care" just after i get done telling her that i'm not really interested in Asian culture (hints why i was looking for a latin american one) and i'm not really interested in muslim...but the maldivians are "among the least evangelized" and they not only need but are seeking medical care. so since she knows i'm wanting to pursue nursing to take to the mission field we joke about how this is perfect. They are an unreached people group and they need what i'm wanting to bring. the more and more we joke about it the more i realize they're on the top 10 persecuted countries and its number...four. we're are always hearing here at caravan that God wants your life your life. not just part of you but all of you. when you accepted Him you are no longer yours. and then that missions isn't a short term thing, its your life and those who go to the 10/40 window it might take their life. us staff hear this all the time and usually i'm nodding my head along with it...but last night it hit me with a nauseating feeling, if i went to maldives i would probably die... slowly it sank in until i had to get up and walk away from the research, too much for me. then i remembered what i read that morning and what i had said about it. Exurp from my journal:

Acts 21 & 22
Paul's faith is unbelievable. 21 when he is being told don't go, don't go he responded with "i'm going and even if it means death all for Jesus Christ" (my paraphrase 21:13-14). That's so crazy and then in 22 he is telling his testimony and telling of what Ananias said in v.15-16 "You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and hear. And now what are you waiting for?"

and even though 21 comes before 22 the part in 22 is a recollection from before which is perfect. you've seen, you heard what to do, now what are you waiting for? with paul's response of 21:13-14 I will go even to the death for Christ's sake! That is an example I want to follow. --> I've heard, I know, so now what? --> I will go even to death. Its still hard for me to fully grasp "to the death" I think but i want to keep striving so eventually i can say that as bold as paul did.

i wrote/read that that morning and then the research happened in the evening...and the reason i'm so overwhelmed (i guess could be the word i'm looking for) is not because i now know where i'm suppose to go but that even after hearing and hearing and hearing "He wants all of you" and even singing "take my life, here i am all of me" , "take it all" , "I will go Lord send me" , "I would give the world to tell you're story 'Cause I know that you've called me" and then last night when i really thought about it and for a split second i fully grasped...i freaked out.

my life is not mine, it hasn't been for a long time and He gave his for me so undeserving, so why am i grasping so tight to something that isn't mine when giving it to God is completely deserved?

this will not hinder me i will still go to the field, i will.
D.V.

i do truly want to...say that as bold as paul did.

(board that we write countries of the day for prayer)