Episode 80: Sandra ME TRIP REPORT: Among The Nations: Obedience, Risk, And The Quiet Work Of God

What if the strongest call on your life isn’t a U-turn, but a re-aiming of everything you already know how to do? That’s the heartbeat of this conversation with Sandra, a veteran educator whose “halftime” moment turned administrative chops and classroom empathy into fuel for global missions and church planting across the Middle East.

We walk through the unlikely path from a bulletin announcement about Peru to chairing an international missions team, then to equipping new believers with Foundations—a narrative, symbol-driven way to teach Scripture where literacy and access are limited. Along the way, Sandra shares the courage framework that steadies her steps: be wise, not fearful. Habakkuk 1:5 reframes the news cycle with a command to look and be astonished, and Revelation 7 expands our horizon with a future choir already forming in living rooms and back rooms today. From house churches taking root to Bibles passed around like yearbooks for signatures, the details are small, human, and unforgettable.

We also get practical. Why three smaller teams instead of one large group matters in sensitive contexts. How a children’s day program opened doors for local believers to meet mothers and get invited back. Where partnership, patience, and presence beat flash and speed. And why encouragement is a mission field of its own for workers who don’t get to come home. Sandra’s white hair became a bridge in cultures that revere elders, and her decades in leadership helped “get down in the details” so others could flourish.

If you’ve wondered whether your skills translate to ministry, or if the Middle East feels too far and too fraught, this story offers a grounded way forward: put your yes on the table and let God do the aiming. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with one line about the next faithful step you plan to take.

Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Guest Introduction
• 1:46 Career Roots And Halftime Moment
• 5:13 First Mission Trip And Team Leadership
• 8:50 Perspectives Class And Calling
• 10:29 Why The Middle East And Family Concerns
• 13:12 Courage Without Fear And Guiding Scripture
• 15:45 Foundations Training And House Churches
• 19:22 Revelation 7 Vision And Worship Across Languages
• 22:36 Respect For Elders And Cross‑Cultural Awe
• 25:04 Relationship Building Over Time
• 28:05 Strategy: Three Teams, Three Cities
• 31:32 Impact Stories And Invitations Back
• 35:10 Encouraging Frontline Believers
• 37:35 Say Yes To The Next Step
• 39:10 Counting The Trips And Hard Places