After we cleared through the massive crowds at the Manila Airport and then the greater area city traffic in late afternoon, we immediately began an all-night drive to our destination. As I recall, our vehicle was overcrowded and underpowered. The cultural shock in a fatigued condition that we were experiencing was compounded by the annoying grating sound from the wheels of our vehicle. An inspection at a pit stop in the middle of the night revealed a “gatered” tire—a tire sliced through from tread to rim. It was pulled apart and sprung around an existing canvas tread tire on the wheel and then was gatered or laced through from side to side to hold it “safely” in place for highway driving.
We arrived at our destination just after dawn, and then we were brought to our accommodation and told to have a couple of hours of rest before the morning session. It appeared to us like an economy motel, and by the time we made it liveable, it was time for us to leave for ministry.
Although I had ministered most of my life up to this point, this was my first cross-cultural missions experience. On numerous occasions, I pastored for brief periods, but I knew that evangelism was my primary calling. Also, I had taught elective courses in church, and for three or six months at a time, I had been on teaching assignments.
On this occasion, as we drove from the motel to the venue, the national leader casually mentioned that my first assignment would be to teach pastors. Thinking he meant for one hour or so, I said, “Fine, not a problem.”
As we arrived and were entering the building, an atmosphere of expectancy was evident. Several hundred pastors were seated or still milling around when my host supplied the rest of the details. “You will teach the first four hours until noon, breaking for one hour for lunch, and a further four hours until five o’clock. Then we will eat quickly and we have an evangelistic rally daily for the next four days.”
If disappearing had been an option for me, I would have selected it. Yes, on occasion, I had taught—but hundreds of pastors for eight hours daily and for four days, I had not. In my wildest dreams, this would have been utterly impossible.
(Copyright 2012 – “Living in The Supernatural Dimension by John Abraham”)