Missions we did not know about

All throughout 2024, there has been a recurring message shared in our church and among Christian circles. Every time I heard it, I would turn it into a mental note and classify it under “reassurance” and “encouragement.” I accepted it as truth based on faith and did not think much about it.

The recurring message was: “When God sends us on a mission, he sends us with provision.” Whether it is to go on a church planting mission, a medical mission, an evangelistic mission or disaster relief mission, people of faith always receive support, funding and prayer coverage. That is what we generally consider going on a church-related mission.

Quite recently, I’ve been reminded that sometimes a mission does not require going on a journey, or an action-packed, challenge-filled adventure, fueled mostly on fumes and faith. I discovered that you could be sitting around, minding your own business, working so hard and receiving many “blessings,” not knowing that all of it is actually “provision” for a mission you did not know about, did not volunteer or prepare for.

I’m sure that we all love it when God Almighty answers our prayers to be able to close deals, get commissions or to land jobs and side hustles that compound to a tidy sum. Looking back in 2024, many of us have been blessed with work, projects and profit. We are thankful for all of these without realizing that the jobs and the payouts were all part of GOD’s plan for a later date, for instance just before Christmas Day.

Many people I’m sure have already spent a lot of money from their bonuses to buy gifts and items on their personal wish lists. Up to the last minute, many people are still trying to make travel plans to some snowy wonderland or a new beach destination on their bucket list.

You worked for it, you earned it, but why is something hanging around in the back of your mind telling you there’s something you should be doing? In spite of the “holidays,” you find yourself detached from the atmosphere or festive occasions. You’re supposed to be doing something, but you don’t know what it is!

But wait, did you pay attention to the “signs” along the way or were you so focused on holidays and gifts that you would not have noticed the sign even if it hit you in the face? Like your pending promise to give a substantial donation to a scholarship program for very poor but deserving students. So instead of spending on individual gifts for friends, you decide to send the scholarship check.

Or suddenly remembering a friend who has been struggling financially and emotionally. You always meant to help him when you could and since it’s Christmas, why not now? So, you decide to send him enough grocery money for a whole month without him having to ask. Then you find out that he just brought his wife home after a scary stay in the Emergency Room and that yes, they really needed the grocery money.

Before you can even figure out how all that happened, you hear about the relative from the province who just landed in the hospital and is scheduled for emergency surgery. So you check and you find out he does not have HMO coverage, but his surgery can’t wait. Then you remember a time when someone also showed up at the same hospital trying to pay for your surgery.

So you do for others what has been done for you and throw him a lifeline and pray his operation goes well. Later you realize that of all your relatives, this guy never asked for help but even sent out a specific thank you for your wife he has never met.

Just when you thought the dust had settled, a poor woman in a far-off barangay texts you at three in the morning because her child is deathly sick and has gone to an “albularyo” because she does not have money to go to a proper hospital.

Her gut-wrenching begging for pity and money upsets and disturbs your inner peace because it is so painful to see such desperation and helplessness among the poor. All that just about sucks all the “Merry” out of Christmas. Of course you help her. That is what Christians and Filipinos were raised to do, to have “malasakit.”

Then there’s the “here today, gone tomorrow” visitor in church who turns out to be so broke he has to skip town during Christmas because he can’t pay the rent. He does not even bother to ask for help because he has used up all his shame trying to put a roof over his family’s head.

The first two weeks of December have certainly been difficult and very challenging for many people I know. Several friends and family found out they had cancer. Several were clinging on to prayers and faith for provision and shelter, some were simply overwhelmed with bills and fears. Someone has said that “money is not everything, but it takes away pain.”

I also learned that when God gives us money or blessings or provision, it is not simply to grow it through compounding interests, stock portfolio or just to pile more money on top or reward ourselves. We also need to realize that God has given us such to help others, to save others and to bless others. He gave it to us in advance, through the year or years, and part of it is for our mission to bless others. My prayer is that you end the year being a huge blessing to those in need and I know that my GOD will bless you in return. Merry Christ-mass.

*      *      *

E-mail: [email protected]