God calls all of us to “Follow Close” behind him, at least that seems to be what Psalm 63 says. We’re trying, and in trying, we’ve come across a lot of folks who feel the same thing.
I heard Leeland perform this song at a youth rally this past year and thought it was amazing. I looked it up on YouTube and thought it was REALLY amazing. They filmed the video in Cambodia, of all places! Check it out…
I know, that’s what I thought too! So, in this little bitty box, I’ll try to explain how I went from mid-western ER nurse & youth minister to a Southeast-Asia missionary wannabe. Buckle up.
Life has always seemed short to me, but working in the ER has made it seem much more vaporish. I’ve watched many people die. They come in as a trauma or a medical resuscitation, everything’s chaotic and crazy for a little bit, and then they either go to the ICU or they’re dead. The ER then returns to normal, and we all go about our business.
I’m stopped cold when I remember that that person went somewhere, and it wasn’t just the morgue. If I’m really going to remember the reality of eternity, not only am I going to celebrate heaven, I’m going to be a fanatic about keeping people out of hell. Jesus died for them and he loves them!
I suppose that’s where God more fully comes onto the scene. While really wrestling with these things and praying about the possibility of spreading the good news to folks who’ve never heard, I came across Psalm 63:8. David writes, “I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” It’s not your typical missionary verse, but I knew then and there that God was calling me and my family to follow him to Cambodia. God is on the move, and I want to follow him.
I look out of my window and I see three churches. They all preach Christ. I drive around the capital city of Cambodia and I see Buddhist temples. Everywhere. I see Buddhist priests in bright orange robes. I smell incense from household shrines all around me, including the one in the foyer of my hotel. I see lost people bound for Hell. I see people without even a faint knowledge of Jesus Christ. I love Jesus Christ, and he loves me. Thing is, he loves them too, and he wants them to know of his amazing kindness and wonderful love.
[This was the first letter we sent out to everyone, asking for prayers and stuff.]
Necessity often reminds us of the most important things. Thirst reminds us of water. Hunger reminds us of food. In our case, the thought of doing cross-cultural mission work in Cambodia reminds us of our desperate need for prayer! (And money, but that’s a topic for another letter that may be coming your direction soon.)
So, the purpose of this letter? To engage at least 200 friends who will commit to pray for us and the children of Cambodia. We’re looking for teammates who will go to bat for us, so to speak, and hold us up in prayer. We’re going to call these teammates our Praying Friends Forever (PFFs). J (Elizabeth wants you to know that the “PFF” acronym was his idea.)
You all know I (Jonathan) talk incessantly about living all for ONE. Turns out it’s easier to say it than do it! So now, after much prayer and a lot of hard thought, we feel led to pursue God’s heart in service to the people of Cambodia. Specifically, we feel drawn to the needs and hurts of the children of Cambodia. This is how God is asking us to give all for ONE. We anticipate leaving the U.S. in January 2012.
Our home church (the Red Bridge Church of Christ) will serve as our sending church, providing spiritual accountability and direction, as well as plain old encouragement. We are also blessed to serve with Team Expansion. Team Expansion is a mission organization that partners with local churches (in our case, Red Bridge) to “send and sustain” missionaries with the vision of planting indigenous churches among the least-reached people groups of the world. More info about Team Expansion, who they are, how they operate, etc., may be found on their website at http://www.teamexpansion.org.
We’ve been praying that God would light us up for His name and His glory. Like a candle is consumed, we’re asking God to consume us with a passion for Him and a passion for people. And like a candle, we feel that we must not stay in the bright places, but go to the darkness. And though the darkness may never understand, we must burn still, consumed for the King.
So, will you be a PFF (Praying Friend Forever)? A friend who prays for God to move and save the people of Cambodia? A friend who prays for our family and the children of Cambodia? If so, please fill out the attached card and return it to us. If it’s easier, feel free to just drop us an e-mail at trotters41@gmail.com.
We look forward to keeping in touch with you as we all strive to live…
All for ONE,
Jonathan & Elizabeth Trotter
Jonathan & Elizabeth Trotter 