Do Diabetes and Missions Mix?

Diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at age 11, Heather hasn’t let the Diabetes stop her.

 

In her own words:

“…I wear this tattoo instead of the required medical bracelet for diabetics…As I looked down at my wrist at the word “diabetic,” the feeling of somehow being wronged surfaced again. Why do I have to deal with diabetes? I started getting angry.  Then I thought, “You know what? If I was born in PNG with diabetes, I would be dead right now .” And I was grateful to be born in a country where medicine and doctors are available.  As I stood there I thought, “Man, I thank God I live in a country where the Gospel is available too. Otherwise I’d probably be spiritually dead right now.”

Today she is serving with New Tribes Mission with short term mission trips.  Last summer, Heather attended Interface in Papua New Guinea where she experienced church planting first hand.  Interface is an international college level missions force located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

While there, Heather experienced many cultural differences from America.  She wrote on her website:

“For example: I will be wearing skirts for the next 6 weeks. For any one who knows me…I highly dislike wearing them. You see, in PNG culture, a woman who doesn’t wear a skirt isn’t considered modest.

I don’t want to offend any nationals and I don’t want to ruin the good reputation that missionaries here have worked so long to build. When I keep this perspective it makes it easier to pull on a skirt in the morning.

I’ll tell you what though, I’ve had some close calls in these skirts! I’ve closed them in the doors, stepped on them when I stood up, and have tripped on them numerous times!I know that giving up my choice of clothing is a small sacrifice in comparison to what Christ gave up to become a man and live in the slums we call “Earth” so that we could be with Him in Heaven.Philippians 3:7-8  “I once thought that all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…”What’s keeping you from knowing Him?”

Heather’s Website:   www.ntm.org/heather_turek

More Short Term Mission Trips with New Tribes Mission:  www.ntm.org/missiontrips

Did you know there are more than 4,000 language groups without a word of the Bible in their language?

Have you been on a short term mission trip?  We want to hear from you!  Tell us your story in our comments.

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