I’ve often think about how much my first foreign mission trip changed my life. It was back in 1979, but it still resonates in my heart, almost daily. Needless to say, it dramatically impacted my life, and my family’s life. COI was born out of that trip, even though we did not know it at the time.
My family always had a call to missions. My father, Jack Isleib, went on his first trip behind the Iron Curtain (communist countries were called that at the time) in the mid 70’s. When he got home, I distinctly remember that he could not stop crying, especially when he talked about how serious and sad the people looked. He lit up when he talked about how they smuggled Bibles, and people in the bus to distribute them. The people were not free to study the Word, and they wanted to go to the meetings where there would be Bible teaching.
If the police would have found them, it was trouble, for the person, and for the team, but the Lord always worked it out. Obvious to all was how much the trip impacted my Dad. God had touched his heart for people in the nations. They did not have the gospel, and were not privy to the blessing of the Lord, and that bothered him. He was awakened on the inside, that God would have him do his part in doing something about it.
I remember being very interested in his trip when he got home. I quickly had the chance to go on my own trip, when a missionary visited my Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and showed the slides of his basketball trip in another country. I was mesmerized, which if course, was the Holy Spirit beginning to work on me. I can remember that night today, as clearly as I can see the sun shining outside my window today. I ran up to the brother showing the slides after the meeting and asked him if the organization he was with took women’s basketball teams out to share faith. They did, and I went home so excited at my chance to combine two things I loved: basketball, and the Lord!
to be continued at a later date….
MaryAlice Isleib, COI Director