"Yes, Lord!"

Sometimes I think about my friend Roberto Munoz-Flores, a short, gentle Mexican man who was a fireball for Jesus. He could woo the leaves off a tree and lead many a wandering soul into the safe embrace of Jesus.

He carried great favor at our old church, the Valley Vineyard in Reseda, CA. Like Lola of Damned Yankees fame, when it came to all things missions-related it always seemed like, "Whatever Roberto wants, Roberto gets."

He and his bride, the very red-haired Irish rose, Sharon, were quite the pair. Both fiery in their own ways—yet extremely soft-spoken, full of that sweet wine of compassion, the Lord pours into His special saints.

Roberto was fearless, at least he certainly appeared to be. His special evangelist's heart led him, at least a couple times a year, into the dark, and dangerous mountains and jungles near Oaxaca. Here were people that drew Roberto back—again and again, even into his 80s.

Whenever Roberto was putting together a team for his beloved Oaxaca, everyone at church would hear about it, and he would often come up to certain people he felt led to more personally invite to participate in the outreach, and not so subtly suggest that God might be calling them to join the team.

As one of those people on a number of occasions, it was not easy to say no to Roberto without wondering if something might be wrong with my soul. But the truth is, I never felt the Lord calling me to those jungles and mountains, or even to the set of orphanages Roberto and Sharon so faithfully supported, as did our church. And I was not going to take the risk involved if I wasn't convinced the Lord was telling me to go.

I remember one year being asked to share about our project for A Tour of Roses after Roberto gave his invitation to participate in his annual Oaxaca outreach. I heard Roberto say how he and the team with him were invited to come and minister. Feeling kind of sheepish and small I paraphrased Roberto's line and told our church rather baldly, that no one in Germany or Poland had actually issued an invitation to us, but the Holy Spirit had said, “Go.” And, for me, it was a matter of obedience.

I never picture myself as fearless, or even as loving as Roberto. The Lord truly tamed his once wild heart. I am more of Jacob's persuasion, often wrestling with God in my soul. And the business of going even when God says Go has never been easy.

Last week, a day before our Improbable People Ministries Board Meeting, I prayed for a solid answer during our time together about sending A Tour of Roses to Israel in September this year.

Well, as it turned out, the answer was a unanimous yes. But the moment the vote was taken my soul took a little dive into fear. Not deep, mind you—a shallow dip. What are we going to do now? The question rippled through me. How can this even happen??

Even now, I have no real answer except through God—and only God. What if the war is still happening in September? My heart shivered. It's God's gig, I answered—not mine. And He has always been faithful.

So, today I am thinking of Roberto, who lives now and forever in the beautiful place of the presence of His Creator, Lord and friend. From my vantage point Roberto never seemed to hesitate. When God called, he always said, "Yes, Lord."

Let it be so with each of us. Give us a holy boldness, Lord, to follow wherever you call us to come.

-Sally Klein O'Connor

3/4/24