Transition

Let's keep up with the one post a day thing. I kinda like it. ;)

A little thought I had was about transition. No, not my personal transition from VZ to the US. I'm referring to the transition that occurs from one missions location to another as some ministries mature and others are developing. I was reading Nicole's Australia blog (I saw the link on her page and thought it might be about her upcoming STINT year) and she said "the ministry is small but it is growing." It made me think of the differences between the ministries in Melbourne and Maracaibo.

I praise God that He is sending a big STINT team to Melbourne this year - I know of at least 2 single women and 2 staff couples. In contrast, there will not be a STINT team to Maracaibo (at least that's what it looks like at this point). I am SO glad about that! One of my roommates kept trying to get us to pray that some STINTers would change their mind at the intern training session this past weekend, but I feel confident that the Lord has people going to the right places already.'

On May 15, hundreds of people will gather in Maracaibo, including many traveling from the US. It will be a celebration of what God has done in Vida Estudiantil over the past 11 years. Let's take a brief look at that -
We now have Vida in 4 other cities in Venezuela and are starting one in another. All of the missionaries in those cities were first sent out from Maracaibo.
We are sending our first Venezuelan STINTer (with the American organization of CCC) this fall!
One city (Merida) is American-less (and staff-less) after years of STINTers, and their whole movement is student-led.
Those are just a few huge highlights.

The reason I am glad -no, not just glad, EXCITED - that there will not be a STINT team here next year is that we are on our way to this movement being led by nationals. That is the true goal. We don't WANT American missionaries leading ministries around the world forever. That is not the goal. We send out missionaries to start movements, and then we hand over the leadership to the nationals so they can minister to their people in a way that is more natural and effective. Then we can send those "old" missionaries to new locations!

So, I think it's absolutely wonderful that lots of STINTers will be going to places with smaller ministries, such as North Africa and Australia. Soon we will ween away all the missionaries from Venezuela and it will be entirely led by nationals. Hey, we are halfway there already - out of the two National Campus Directors, one is American and the other is Venezuelan. Let's train them and then let them take over! Pray that soon we won't need STINTers in Australia either! ;)