YWAM: The Road We Travel

Written by John Henry of YWAM Converge

A few weeks ago, we heard a report of a truck on an African highway in Tanzania that lost its brakes and smashed into a bus carrying several Youth With A Mission staff. Shocked and saddened, we watched and prayed for our friends and colleagues in our Executive Masters in Leadership course with the University of the Nations. Were they okay?

The tragic news came within a few days. The bus was instantly crushed. I learned that eleven YWAM missionaries were killed. Several others were severely wounded. One of those who died was Lovanambinina Ranaivoarinoro (Lova), a YWAM Campus Ministry and Training Base leader in Madagascar. Lova was a significant leader who started as a YWAMer at the very first Discipleship Training School in Madagascar. He is survived by his wife, Olivia, and their two children. I wrote to Olivia as soon as I heard the news. She responded immediately: “Thank you so much. We need your prayers. It’s so hard and painful.”

Reflections

This shocking loss and sadness is like a gut punch. Like gasping for air, I’ve thought about the extended family of fellow believers and servants of Jesus that I’ve known and loved. I’ve been reflecting on life’s fragility and permanence. I’ve thought of these faithful ministers of the gospel and the fruit of their lives. I’ve been thinking about God’s enduring call.

All of YWAM and many others grieve the loss of our friends and pray for the families and communities affected. I write this today as Lova’s memorial services are taking place in Madagascar. I taught Lova and several other Malagasy YWAMers in our School of University Ministries in South Korea in 2010. That training, including my teaching about God’s calling, helped strengthen and multiply university ministries all over that fourth-largest island nation along the South East Coast of Africa.

Memories endure

Life is fragile, but in Christ, it is also eternal. It’s what we do with this life that matters. Whether young or old, stop to reflect on the road you are traveling—the highs, the lows, and the multitude of experiences in between. Amid the busyness of life, don’t fail to take account of significant memories, the moments that have defined you. Those pivotal moments shape us and inform us of our calling.

We can’t always hear God’s calling, just as we don’t naturally see God. Calling is not primarily about hearing an audible voice or seeing an extraordinary sign. Calling is about knowing our identity in Christ and His purpose for us. But we are hindered from hearing, and obstacles get in the way of our vision. Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you” (Eph. 1:18). Paul understood that our vision could be blocked. We can get stuck.

Are you stuck?

If God is calling us and our life’s events are God’s way of informing us of our purpose, then our memories are important. Some memories are difficult to recall, some haunt us, and others are blocked out for whatever reason. Memories are often laced with pain, sorrow, guilt, and regret; many are traumatic. Traumatic memories are why we get stuck.

While teaching about God’s calling, I tell the story of Moses at the burning bush. Moses was a fugitive who was not fulfilling God’s design and purpose for his life. God invited Moses into an intimate relationship. God introduced Himself to Moses and shared his heart for his people suffering in Egypt. From that place of intimacy, Moses encountered God’s character and nature; He is holy. After many years of teaching thousands of university students about God’s calling, God met me with an even deeper understanding. Let’s look again at Moses.

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