Paul Chapman – Mission Trip to Cyprus

It began with a group of seven individuals from different and diverse backgrounds, some of whom had never met before that rainy early Autumn morning at Gatwick. Here we had gathered to head off to the sun of Cyprus, to go on a mission for a week, unified just by a common determination to serve the Lord and bless the communities we sought to help. The brief was to assist Nicosia Mercy Centre who serve into many sectors of need under the expert leadership of Stavros Ignatiou. 

… And this certainly meant doing mission outside the preconceptions of what we have thought that might mean.  It wasn't evangelizing, it didn't even entail as much contact with other people as we might have anticipated; but it did mean building the kingdom of God, even if that meant helping Nicosia Mercy Centre to vacate their  premises, or build furniture at a home for traumatized Syrian youths, knowing that carefully constructed wardrobes might soon be smashed up, but still doing it with grace and willingness; rr cleaning a dusty museum that commemorated the atrocities done by the British to Jewish refugees after World War 2. 

In all these tasks we were skillfully led by Leah Van Staden of Liberty Church, Newport, and quickly bonded into a team, so when the day drew to an end and the sun began to set there was plenty of time for food, fellowship and fun; as well as just enough time for a little tourism. 

This was a trip perhaps more about intangibles than tangibles. There were certainly tangibles, not perhaps the ones we expected. We cannot lay claim to numbers preached to, healed or even saved; but we did good work in sorting and clearing rubbish and making good. We had the satisfaction that each day we made a significant difference for the communities we were serving. And who knows the difference we made to those we willingly served with no obvious reward or to the individuals we did meet and might have blessed by a simple demonstration that Jesus loves them and cares for them, if by just building a wardrobe for them? And then there are the intangibles in our lives as well, the friendships formed, the connection with the church in Cyprus, the confidence that God can use us in Kingdom building. These intangibles are as significant in the tangibles, perhaps more so; who knows what mustard seeds we planted?

For me this was mission where no experience was necessary and preconceptions played little part; all that mattered was a willingness to serve even if it just meant chucking out a load of outdated foodstuffs from a heap in a warehouse… The thought occurred to me at that moment,  as we had just passed the beach full of people, probably my age doing nothing more than lying on a beach, ‘would I rather be lying on  a beach or clearing out a warehouse full of old food?’ 

I am thankful to God that he has not allowed me to settle for a retirement on the beach but has placed in my heart a desire to bring blessing and do whatever I can to help build his kingdom. I am glad to have gone and would recommend it to anyone thinking of partaking in a similar mission, but while there are many benefits of going on such a trip you don't have to go to Cyprus or anywhere else; simply be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever he leads you!