Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

What are you passionate about?  What stirs your heart? This is the first in a series of posts where my heart is to inspire you to dream with Jesus and say “yes,” no matter the cost. Warning…this may seem “out of the box,” but I believe the Holy Spirit still speaks in many different ways,  just as He did years ago in the Bible stories we read. We just need to be listening and stay close to His heart. 

For me, it all started one day in April 2009 when I watched a short video from Love146, a global anti-trafficking organization. The video was about a girl in SouthEast Asia whose number was 146. In brothels around the world,  sometimes the precious girls are not called by their names, but rather a number.  This was the heartbreaking case in this story.  It impacted my heart so deeply and I shared it with my husband who was, also, astounded.

In the weeks that followed, I researched more and God continued to break my heart for this atrocity. My husband and I watched Slumdog Millionaire which is a movie set in India based on a true story of trafficking.  This was such a difficult watch!  Chad’s heart was, also, stirred and God gave him a dream which was confirming that we were being called to make a difference in some way in this arena.

One of the things we did first was take a mission trip with our church to India.  The ministries we partnered with there do not directly work in anti-trafficking, but it still was an eye-opening trip and such a great experience.  Our church was supportive, but encouraged us to get some training before considering international missions.  One of the classes we did was the Perspectives Course on the World Christian Movement. We really didn’t know specifically where God was calling us, but we checked into YWAM and other ministries who worked overseas. Nothing felt right and things were unclear.

There was definitely discouragement and impatience on my part as I felt so passionate and called, but it seemed like a slow moving train. I’m thinking there may be many who can relate to this. Then one day, at a small group gathering in our friend’s living room, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to go sit in this older woman’s lap who was across the room from me.  So crazy! I may have met her once before, but didn’t really know her.  I did NOT want to do this! It makes you think, would God really ask me to do this?

But I felt such a strong urge, so I obeyed and went over to her. I told her that I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to sit in her lap but that it probably was just symbolic of me learning from her. She was so kind, definitely older and wiser than me. She began to pray for and prophesy over me.  She pulled me into her lap and said that she sees Heidi Baker and orphans. Tears flooded my eyes and I was so touched! 

Next, she asked if we’ve considered the Harvest School in Mozambique.  We had never heard of it before, but this is what the Holy Spirit used to give us our next clue on the journey, Truly this crazy “yes" was a launching pad into our destiny! After checking into it and praying, we applied and were accepted into the Harvest School of Missions with Iris Ministries in Mozambique along with our 4 kids! This is an incredible, faith-based ministry started by Rolland and Heidi Baker.

So late September 2011, we set out for Pemba, Mozambique with our 4 kids, ages 11, 9, 6 and 3 years old, not knowing what we were doing, but trusting Jesus to make things clear. What followed was a crazy, amazing and stretching three months in the beautiful country of Mozambique in Africa! 

I dare you to pray a dangerous prayer… Papa, break my heart for what breaks Yours! Isaiah 61 has been an inspiration to me for years now. We are all called to leave a mark, to imprint the love and truth of Jesus, to those around us and beyond.

Jo Sauder