The Badjao People: Forsaken but not God Forsaken

      

After taking my first mission trip to Masindi, Uganda in September 2010, God led me to enroll in the Institute for World Ministry missionary training program. The classes started in January and as part of the requirement for the course we were asked to research an unreached people group. An unreached people group is a group of people in which there is no indigenous community of Christians with sufficient numbers and resources to evangelize this people group. In the world, there are 6,871 unreached people groups. 

As I was researching many different people groups on the Joshua Project website, I found the Badjou people who are scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines. The Badjou people are a very unique people. One characteristic that really drew me to this particular group was that they are considered "sea gypsies" because by tradition they are sea nomads. The photo that I have chosen in this post is a representation of the Badjao's shelter. 

Keep up with the story of the Badjao people as I dig deeper into their ways of life, culture, religion, and determine the best way to reach such a unique indigenous unreached people group! 

Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1-2


In the midst of a world full of busyness and things that call for our attention is the Creator of the world itself who is actively drawing all people unto Himself. However, it is so easy to get caught up in the demands of the world, the time-fillers of life, the distractions we consider fun, and the expectations placed on us by society. All the while we are busy living our life the voice of our Father calls us, His sons and daughters, to sit at His feet. Many times we take the busy of the world and allow that to define our walk with God. We see the word sacrifice and in almost default fashion revert to busy work. What did this scripture mean when it said to present ourselves as a living sacrifice? Did God really mean to be as busy as we could working for him or did God mean to bring all we are to Him and follow Him? I often times, almost unknowingly, make the mistake of thinking that my busy tasks are sacrifice when the real sacrifice is in sitting at Jesus' feet. Why is it a sacrifice? I believe it's because little intentional goes further than much sporadic. 


Think about Mary and Martha. 
Luke 10:39-40
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.


Today it seems easier to give our shallow worship to the world in which we live but it is a sacrifice to devote ourselves to sitting at the feet of Jesus as disciples  willing to intentionally follow Him wherever he is going. 
We have the ability to focus on many things at once today, computer, text messages, media, sound and picture etc. In 2011 we are plugged into so many outlets, but it's no good unless we are engaged and aware of the abiding presence of our Maker.  We can half-way give our attention to several things at once, but to give our whole heart, will, and future to Jesus requires a deep commitment; presenting our whole selves to God.  


God, help me to live a life of true sacrifice. 

Religion vs. Devotion: David Platt

How on Earth Did I get Here?

As I reflect over God's faithfulness, I realize some things He has done that just completely boggles my finite mind. The other morning, I had the privilege of having breakfast with a wonderful young woman. She grew up in Saudi Arabia and was telling me about her father having three wives, and the widespread common practice of polygamy in the middle east. She viewed this as common, but she didn't want this for herself. This past September, God in His awesome grace allowed me to go to Uganda where women deal heavily with oppression from circumstances such as polygamy and abuse from their society. It was a pretty extreme condition to see firsthand. Just a few weeks ago God led me and my spiritual mom to a conference in Concord, North Carolina where many women gathered. Fortunately hearing the coordinator share personally, we were able to learn more about the oppression of women and how harsh it is in South America, India, and places all over the world. Basically my point is that following God puts you in some of the most bizarre places. As we follow God in surrendered obedience He leads us to the place that may seem uncomfortable but He uses those things to open our eyes to those things on His heart. Through that, He entrusts us to do something. God is a lot different than the internet, He doesn't give information to be useless or more "knowledgeable"; He gives revelation for sons and daughters to partner with Him in kingdom building. I'm sure that if we could talk to Daniel (exile in Babylon) he would say the exact same thing. His life may have not looked exactly like what he thought it would have, but it was exactly the way God wanted it to be and he was probably amazed at where he ended up. Obedience often times seems to take us to the places we least expected, but to the places that make a lot of difference in the kingdom. God is so good, faithful, and I am thankful that He allows us to be a part of His plan. More than anything, it's really amazing that God, the creator of it all, entrusts us with such an amazing purpose! That's a lot of love and grace!