Katherine's Urgency

A group of 20-somethings left last week for Asia Minor, or Turkey. They are led by a pastor from our church. One of them is an art major at the University of Louisville. She is a friend of mine named Katherine.

So far, the team has experienced strong spiritual opposition. But Satan--the Lord rebuke him--will not have his way with this fellowship. Listen to the fearless resolution in Katherine as she writes to us (from a recent e-mail):

"let me begin by saying that life as an m[issionary] is no different from life anywhere else. people often glamourize it, that you live some super-spiritual life where you float from cloud to cloud and dangle from the heavens when you talk to people. wrong. you are yourself. yes, that means all of your weaknesses, flaws, shortcomings, struggles, and sins. except, it seems, amplified. it is an intense environment. it is an environment of spiritual warfare where there is severe opposition to the light...when we get on a bus, we will turn around briefly and be met with - not just glances - but a full on sea of stares by the men. some treat you like eye candy, others will treat you like the plague (haha that is preferred by us!). a man actually grabbed my chest while we were on the bus - i was stunned (later i was told that it actually is okay to sock a man for that here haha)! so we are tired and hot and cannot escape the stares and talks of men as we walk down the street. we try to have a nice evening with a movie (batman begins - sooo good). and we realize after spending our night in fear of all the men in the theatre, we were living in unnecessary fear!!! upon realizing the truth of our father and our situation (and how spiritual opposition can be manifested in these ways), we rejoiced in Him and i dare say that our mindset has been changed as we walk in safety, obeying the social norms (no looking or speaking to the men), and we have a new mindset... "

The team is currently evangelizing students on different college and high school campuses. They have the gospel on their lips wherever they go, and witnessing opportunities lie on the forefront of their minds. Their's is an urgency set on by the darkness in the Turkish land and their mission to bring the Light. More accurately, their urgency swells from a world-wide misson:

"the mission is not just here, but on our campuses at home, at our workplaces, etc. this trip has given me urgency. i long to share it with you all."

May Katherine's zeal be contagious.