God's Travel Advisory

What do a barge full of rebels on the Nile River and a missing herd of cows pursued by a man with a gun have in common? Nothing really, except that they both represent the unpredictable nature of the mission field in places like South Sudan. Add to that thousands of displaced people sharing tents in temporary locations throughout the nation. Insecurity everywhere. Welcome to the new normal. "God's Travel Advisory" begins with a true diarized account of a mission project in 2015 leading into a discussion about the critical nature of South Sudan and The Great Commission. The mission story reveals: -A fledgling missionary grappling with cross-cultural situations;-The reality of frustration and fear;-The need for endurance and flexibility;-The discovery of a well of compassion;-Some pitfalls to avoid; and, -Wisdom along the way. The second part, "A Message for the West" will lead the reader to wrestle with questions that emerge, such as: -Why is South Sudan strategic in the overall scheme of things in continental Africa?-Why should Christians help the churches of South Sudan?-Can a culture of revenge be changed?-How can churches evangelize in a climate of insecurity?-Are foreign missionaries welcome in South Sudan?-Are tribal ties stronger than the gospel?-Does God send missionaries to dangerous places?-Are overseas missions taking a new direction?-Should I repurpose my bucket list?-Should I have a bucket list?-How have South Sudanese children been traumatized?-Can we ignore the cry of brothers and sisters in other nations?-How do we pray for our churches to be "missional"?Chapter 29 turns from South Sudan in particular and grap-ples with the wider fears and concerns that seem to cripple our responses to the call of our missional God. Chapter 30 issues a fresh call to reap the harvest. The ultimate point to this book is not a travel story or doing good works. It is about a God who is sovereign and who wants us to trust Him with our lives. It is only the knowledge of Him and the understanding of how He has guided us that allows one to go to a conflicted place like South Sudan. I hope that this book inspires you to trust God more, and that you will put your faith in Jesus Christ to the point of placing your whole life in His hands. I believe that when you do that, when you can let go of all that the world offers, you will find your true and most adventurous life in Him.