Miles In Missions

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.  I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Ruth 1:20-21.

Sitting at MTI (Missions Training International) in Colorado for debriefing and being forced to reflect on the past 26 months in Nigeria, I realize how bitter I am. The excitement of moving to Africa has worn off and the adventure has turned into life. Living in a different culture is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Leaving everything that was comfortable and adjusting to new foods, language, climate and sicknesses while trying to be in relationship with people who don’t think like you, act like you, feel like you or even understand you. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.

Many of us on the Egbe compound are overwhelmed due to the many roles we play. No one has just one hat, we all wear many hats due to the lack of missionaries on the ground. This leaves us exhausted and empty, feeling like we have nothing else to give. I was encouraged today to read Mark 14:33,34 in a different way. He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Jesus was overwhelmed, distressed, and troubled as he was growing his Father’s kingdom in a culture not his own. If Jesus, the perfect man, experienced these emotions then why in the world would I think my frail humanness wouldn’t? Praise the Lord…I am normal! No comments please!

No one ever told me doing God’s kingdom work would be easy. Why would I think Satan would stand by and watch an entire community be revitalized through a beacon of hope, Egbe Hospital? Why would he just casually watch as missionaries come one by one and pour into peoples lives in Egbe? Oh no….he is going to do everything he can to make it hard so we become overwhelmed, bitter, and give up hope of the miracle that Egbe was and is. Over 20 buildings revitalized, help from over 300 volunteers, unheard of partnerships with Samaritans Purse, Banyan Air, World Medical Missions, SIM, ECWA, 16 containers successfully shipped, no robberies on the road, no serious illnesses, no missionary or volunteer harmed, over 300 staff employed, our own personal cell tower on the compound, 1000’s of lives healed physically and spiritually all in a bush town called Egbe. These Miracles are evidence that God is doing a mighty work in Egbe, but this also means we are a flashing red siren for spiritual warfare. The Miles Family is on the winning team and we pray you will join us!

I am encouraged today to reflect back on the miracles that I have experienced in Egbe and am honored to return in January to continue to watch God work. It doesn’t mean I won’t get overwhelmed, distressed, troubled and even bitter sometimes, but I know who’s team I play ball for and I am up to bat! Will you join me?

We need short term and long term medical and non medical missionaries. Click “YES” to see all the opportunities to serve in Egbe.

We need monthly financial supporters to allow us to continue to serve in Egbe. Click “SUPPORT MILES FAMILY” to sign up.

We need you to pray for the spiritual warfare we face daily. Click “PRAY” to be added to our prayer partners.

We desperately need a General Surgeon ASAP, short term or long term!! Our hsopital is surgeon-less as of December 19th. Please tell everyone you know to spread the word!