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FAQ's with Lisa
Family
| FAQ
| Mission
Statement | Missionary
History
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Lisa, how did you first get involved in missions? |
My first short term trip
with Latin America Mission (LAM) was in 1980, my college
sophomore year. I went to Ecuador to work at New Life
Camp outside of Quito with Duncan and Laney Howard.
This was a 6-week experience. My prime motivation was
to determine if I wanted to ever become a missionary,
and my conclusion at the end of the trip was that I
didn't want to become a missionary. I was perfectly
satisfied studying Physical Education to become a gym
teacher. Well, so much for early conclusions, God
had something
else in mind.
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Then,
I know you made a 3-year commitment to Camp Kikotén
outside of Mexico City...could
you comment a bit on how God led you to that,
and how He led in your decision to extend that
commitment to 5 years? |
 The
biggest hurdle to Mexico was the length of commitment
required, I had only wanted to do missions for a year
but the job description so attracted me and seemed to
have been written by me as an ideal job that I reluctantly
told the Lord that I'd give him 3 years and not a day
more! Again, so much for my own conclusions! Towards
the end of my 3 years in Mexico, we had that huge 8.2
Richter scale earthquake (Sept. 19, 1985) and as I suffered
the tragedy together with the Mexicans I really bonded
with them. I began to feel what I label a "progressive
call", no stars and lights, no voices, but a firm
and growing conviction that I was where God wanted me
and that my life was making a difference for His kingdom
south of the border. So I signed up for another 2 years
and ....now 20 years later, there's nothing else I'd
rather be doing!!
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Give
me a general overview of how God led you into
missions, and
then into long-term missions, and some of your
thinking/feelings along the way.
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If I had to
summarize how God led me into missions,
I'd describe it this way: |
A.
First He caused me to be dissatisfied with
my career choice (gym teacher) since during my
senior year practicum at Penn State  University,
in the locker room one day I asked myself if I
could see myself in this role 5 years from now....
when I answered "NO", because I couldn't
share Christ with the students (public school
restrictions), I was immediately prompted by the
Lord to seek other options so I attended Urbana
Missions Conference (1981) and that enabled me
to make the connection with LAM and apply. |
| B.
Then God challenged me during the Urbana Conference
to be willing to go anywhere He sent me, independently
of my skills, education and preferences. After
playing a round of ping pong during some free
time at Urbana, and having a blast, I heard the
Lord ask me : "If I asked you to go to a
place where you could never use your recreational
skills or play sports, would you heed my call?"
I told Him I'd answer in the morning since that
was a serious proposition! That next morning,
we studied Luke where it says: What does it profit
a man to gain the world and yet lose his soul?"
I immediately responded to the Lord that yes I'd
go wherever he called me. |
 C.
Then God challenged me to go beyond my comfort
zone, beyond my expectations and trust Him to
control my life: When I received the job description
for the work in Mexico I had just returned from
serving in Alaska, at a Christian camp, and while
there, I discovered that I'd fallen in love with
camping! So, while I was comfortable with what
my role was to be in Camp Kikotén, Mexico,
the 3 year time commitment stretched me terribly
and made me have to relinquish once more my expectations
and self-imposed boundaries and fully trust Him. |
| D.
Then God offered me a "progressive call":
As I explained
before, I never grew up wanting to be a missionary,
when I did it for a short time, I realized that
it was hard, not glamorous after the initial few
weeks, and therefore declared that I was not interested,
and then little by little, as I allowed God more
and more control and say in my life, He "called
me". The fact that I absolutely love what
I do (Christian camping) is a key element in this
call. I get to do what I love best, full-time
for the Lord and in an area (Latin America) where
the sky is the limit! You can dream and do all
the Lord gives you the resources and imagination
to do. |
"Well,
now, as I look back, I see the Lord's hand
and means of progressively calling me to His
service. I plan on serving Him for as long as
He
gives me the breath to breathe. |
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