At the Airport

In order to properly usher in the New Year and inform their neighborhood, my wife’s brothers decided to light fireworks at midnight last night. Although their show was impressive, my mind was half way around the world where there are other “fireworks” being displayed. The siege in Gaza has prompted a few questions for our friends and family concerning our determination to serve in Bethlehem.

Not surprisingly, when we tell people about what God has called us to, the first question that we usually receive is something to the effect of, “Is it safe over there right now?” Now, I understand the questioner is concerned for us and our safety (and we are truly grateful). However, we signed up for this assignment knowing the volatile situation in the West Bank and Israel (which, by the way, is never as volatile as is represented on talk radio or cable news networks). In spite of all of this, we also know about God’s call.

If we decided to not do anything dangerous what would our worlds be like? Reasonable danger is acceptable to most people, but I ask, if God is sovereign and his call is sure, what then is unreasonable?

I heard a quote the other day that said, “Find something worth dying for, then live for it.” The philosophy is worth pondering (the inverse as well, which might well reflect the mission of Christ). When true living and life abundant is following Christ wherever he leads, why would we ever settle for less? God does not call everyone to go serve him around the world, but life abundant never meant that. It meant a new perspective, not a new location.

The nitty gritty of the situation is that we will be about fifty miles from where any of the fighting is going on. The farthest a rocket launched by Hamas has reached is still about thirty miles short of where we will be staying in Bethlehem. Furthermore, Fatah, a less extreme government, controls the West Bank. Hamas only controls Gaza, and to our knowledge we will not be visiting or working in or near there. Our lives are not in jeopardy, but we do appreciate your continual prayers for our safety and efficiency for the kingdom. More to come!

Aaron (and Misty) Laenger