Things didn’t go as I had planned this week. According to my plan, I was going to be in East Africa right now, with a dear ministry leader in Kenya who has 43 years of experience ministering to Somali believers, and then was going to do a training for pastors in northern Rwanda. Tickets were purchased, visas had arrived, all was set. Then, the State Department put out a warning that terrorist activity, including kidnappings and increased crime, spiked to a threat level 4 in the area where I was going to be. My friend informed me that if we take necessary and wise precautions, we can overcome the risks. However, our risk management team with our mission had other ideas and prohibited me from making the trip. I was heartbroken as I believed this was an answer to prayer to minister to this “least reached” people group. However, as I prayed and considered many elements, some truths came to mind:

1. God calls us to take risks, but they should be “righteous risks,” not foolish risks. Peter took some righteous risks when he climbed out of the boat in Matt. 14:22-33 and began to walk on the water to Jesus, but then he began to flounder in his faith and sink. He was fearful in Matt. 26 when asked if he was associated with Jesus, but by Acts 2 and 4, he was stronger in his faith, taking risks in proclaiming the Gospel, even to those who had killed Jesus. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Dan.3 took quite a risk in serving God rather than submitting to idolatrous political leadership.
2. God cares about the Somalis far more than I ever could. I am just a very small part of His grand scheme to reach this and every people group for His glory. So whether I go this month, or at some point in the future, He will use me in His time and way, and I must joyfully accept that. Submitting to my mission leadership is another way of honoring my Lord.
3. Once I stepped back and looked at a number of different pieces, my decision became clearer.
   • We are in the middle of a remodel project in our home, and my presence is necessary to keep things moving and help my family.
   • The Rwanda portion of the trip was changed from the original plan, and would not be nearly as productive as what it was originally.
   • My life insurance policy has expired, and I’ve been unable to find another company willing to insure me. I guess I’m too high of risk for them because I travel so frequently to Africa. I’ve tried many companies, and been denied repeatedly.
   • I have another training scheduled in just a few weeks in Tanzania, and the extra time at home will give me a chance to catch up on several mission projects and responsibilities that had been postponed.

So I am trying to rest in God’s peace, and trust He will work things out in His perfect plan, and use me according to His will. I’m ready and willing, and He knows that. But I also must be flexible, humble, and patient, taking the “right risks.”