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Seeing the Middle East With Eyes of Faith

This is a story about how to see with the eyes of faith what you can’t see in the natural.

It begins with this realization: Today on the island of Lesvos, those of us who follow Jesus have an unprecedented opportunity to love the Muslim world without censorship or worries of being politically correct. We can either join the media as it stirs up fear, or we can ask God to give us his eyes to see what he sees.

Because of the chaos of war in the Middle East, refugees are fleeing by the millions. Terrorized by those who are being tortured and decapitated, families are leaving their homes in Syria, Iraq and Yemen with little more than the clothes on their back.

For many, the first stop is Lesvos, Greece. Lesvos is a little sun-washed island just off the coast of Turkey.

I sensed that God wanted the World Race in Lesvos. But the need was urgent—how to make that happen in real time? We had no contacts and no squads designated to go anywhere near there. All we could do was ask God to give us his eyes of faith.

So, our leaders prayed. We talked to Matt and Cindy, World Race coaches located in Greece. We talked to my friends Angelo and Jim. No one knew how to make this happen. All we knew is that God wanted it to happen, not how.

Then last Monday I got a call that began to sync up my natural vision with what I was seeing with the eyes of faith.

Krystle is a young lady I had coached on the World Race five years ago. Karen and I love her. She helped start the Beauty for Ashes ministry. Several years ago, Krystle got married and dropped off our radar.

Last week, Krystle emailed—”Can we talk immediately?”

I was headed out to play a game of flag football, but said “yes” and got in touch with her and her husband Kevin on Skype.

She looked like the same old Krystle I had coached for over a year.

She said, “We’re here on Lesvos, Greece. God led us here eight months ago. We didn’t know why. Then yesterday, an organization we work with was given a refugee camp by the UN. We have 30 volunteers helping, but 20 are going home.”

I may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but I could see where this was going.

“So you are desperate for help and want to know if I can send any World Race squads to you?”

“Yes!”