As winter lands on many of us here in Canada (especially Calgary this week - wow!), driving conditions become a significant challenge. Can you relate to having your vehicle caught in the snow? Perhaps you remember that sinking feeling as you realize that your tires… are… just… not going to grab. Instead, they begin to spin, and you are stuck. Sigh...
Whether you’re the driver or a passenger, you’re in a fix. After walking around the vehicle to confirm the problem, you try to make sure the wells are clear, and maybe put some traction under the wheels. Then you get back in, straighten the wheel, and begin to rock the car back and forth, and back and forth. Things are much better if you have some helping hands. It’s a collective cultural event in Canada to help push each other out of snowbanks! People shove with all their might, trying to stay clear of flying snow and ice…
Then, slowly… gradually, you feel the tires begin to find some traction, and the car moves just a bit. The “pushers” from behind feel it also, and yell their encouragement! “Go! Go! GO!!” they yell as they redouble their efforts. Then car slowly inches forward! You’re almost there… That’s the point – that moment of “just about there…” that I feel like SEND Canada is at.
In some ways we’ve been a bit stuck. Thankfully, we have a team that’s continuing to learn and we’re making adjustments. We’re working to “clear the wheel wells”, and we’re pushing! Many of you reading this are pushing with your prayers and financial support as well – thank you!! We’ve got increased traction on college campuses. We’ve got improved traction with foundations in Canada. And we’ve got a big push in 2014 with our new Church Partnership Initiative – ways a mission agency can serve the church, and not the other way around! Stay tuned for more on this!
I hope this little story brings a picture of hope and optimism about SEND. Thanks to those of you who are helping to “push” with your prayers and finances! Pray a quick prayer for us, would you? We’re asking God to help us get out on the open road in 2014!
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Rob “Mags” Magwood is the Canadian Director of SEND International. Together with his wife, Kathleen, and their kids he has served as a teacher and church-planter in Ukraine and Russia. Rob is also the host of the Global Missions Podcast.
