Take Your Family on a Mission Trip Today, For Free!

Have you ever wished that you could expose your children to life in another country? My wife Cyndi and I have four kids, and it would be really difficult for us to pull together all of the finances that we would need to bring all four of our kids oversees. But, this weekend, our kids had a chance to be on the mission field. Within 20 minutes of our home is incredible diversity. I was recently told by Eden Prairie's Chief of Police that Eden Prairie is home to 16,000 Somalians. Drive a little further into Bloomington and you'll find a thriving Hispanic community. Drive just south into Shakopee and you'll see large numbers of Russian immigrants.

We live in an exciting time.

This weekend, I took my family to the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. You can visit their website by going to http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org. The Global Market is an amazing place. You can visit people from Guatemala, El Salvador, Somalia, Sweden, Israel, Turkey, the West Indes, Mexico, and more in less than one hour. My friends, Jamal and Shadi opened a branch of their restaurant, Safari, in the market this past Sunday. Safari is a phenomanal Somalian food restaurant. As I ate with my kids we had spiritual conversations about what was giong on around us. I spent time talking with a family that had recently immigrated to the States from Mexico. It was fun getting to talk with them about our mission trips to Central America. Cyndi talked for several minutes with a shop owner. She told the owner about Mexican pralines that can be purchased from a distributor in Texas. The shop owner was so excited. She even exchanged e-mail addressses with Cyndi. We listened to Salsa music and Irish music, and we wondered at our incredible God who created the world with such beauty and diversity. As different as each person is, as unique as each culture is, we are all created in the image of God. Aren't you glad that our loving God loves people regardless of our view of Him? Christ's heart beats for all those in the Market who have never considered who He is. May God use us to reach those around us.

Why not take your family on a mission trip this week? It's really easy to engage in conversation at the Market. People want to talk. There are dozens of restaurants that share a common eating area that encourages communication. There are several chess sets waiting for people to play. There is live entertainment every weekend, featuring the music of different cultures. And, the food? It's so interesting to try the foods from the different cultures. The Midtown Global Market is located on the corner of Lake and Chicago in Minneapolis. Go, you'll be glad you did.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8