Like Five Loaves and Two Fish
As the window for registration closed and the numbers solidified, concern surfaced. Though many had been interested in the unique trip, few could commit. We simply never expected only seven people to comprise the Go International team to Chuquibambilla. How could we possibly tackle the tasks of building a house for Bible translation and conducting trainings for the Nomatsiguenga people with a team of seven?
The realization of the team count brought concern, maybe a little discouragement, but only briefly. We would travel with five men and two women. The numbers instantly stood out and a very familiar Bible account became clear that is recorded in all four of the gospels.
Five loaves and two fish! The feeding of the multitude.
Concern and discouragement instantly turned to anticipation. The numbers couldn’t be a coincidence. Was God setting us up for a miracle? In reality, a miracle was exactly what we needed.
In the months prior to our trip, our team of seven met by Zoom from respective states and considered the Scriptures. What specifically did God want us to glean from His Word in light of our upcoming mission? The feeding of the multitude written in Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6 is rich in wisdom that our team didn’t even realize we needed.
After hearing of the death of His beloved cousin, John the Baptist, Jesus retreated to a “remote place” for solitude. No one would have questioned this action under the circumstance. However, the people followed Jesus. The Bible reads that He had compassion on the crowd, a multitude, and He began to teach and heal their sick.
It is the next portion of scripture where the story gets interesting.
Disciples: It’s late. Send the people away for food.
Jesus: You feed them.
Disciples: We only have five loaves of bread and two fish.
Jesus: Give me what you have.
“Give me what you have.” Isn’t that just like Jesus. He uses what we have. No more, no less. Jesus took the loaves and fish and blessed them. He broke the loaves and returned them to the disciples for distribution. The rest is Bible history!
There are many things Jesus could have done, to include feeding the people from heaven just as we see in the Old Testament manna account. That would have been easy. What did He do instead?
He chose to use His followers and in doing so taught them. Jesus used His power to manifest the miracle as the disciples’ obeyed. It didn’t make sense, but they trusted. Jesus wants to use His people.
He chose to bless and use what they had though alone it wasn’t enough to meet the need. Jesus wants to use what we have.
He multiplied in a way that no earthly effort could cause it or explanation could disqualify it. Jesus wants to glorify His Father through us.
Could God use five men and two women to help accomplish His purpose in Chuquibambilla? To participate in a profound task that would facilitate the Word of God being translated for the Nomatsiguenga people? Absolutely! He could, and He did. We submitted the task to Him along with our strengths...and our limitations. We set our hearts and minds on Him with the expectation that He would do more than we could ask or think.
So what happened? Multiplication happened, by God, in real time! Antioquia Mission Base missionary directors led the charge. Our Go International team of seven arrived, and the team multiplied. Peruvian believers came from near and far, and the team multiplied. Missionaries and Nomatsiguenga translators joined in, and the team multiplied.
What multiplied in addition to the size of the team? Construction results. Training results. Opportunities. Relationships. We gave what we had, God blessed it, multiplied it, used it. So much was accomplished in our few days in Chuquibambilla. Even more was accomplished than the multiplied team could produce. Five loaves and two fish...that’s no challenge for our God. That’s fertile ground of opportunity. Opportunity for a miracle!
As we drove away from the remote village on the final day, thinking of how there was no earthly way for the team of believers to have accomplished what we witnessed, aside from a miracle, our hearts overflowed with gratitude. What a beautiful display of God’s love and compassion for the Nomatsiguenga people! In a “remote place” in the Peruvian jungle, He showed up and showed out!
You might be asking, “What about me? Can God use me in this way through short-term missions?” Here is your answer:
God chooses to use YOU. God chooses to use what YOU have. God chooses to glorify the Father through YOU. Sign up for a trip and watch what God will do...through YOU.
Rena Scobie serves as a Team Leader with GO InterNational, alongside her husband, Jack. For more than forty years, the Scobies have been part of GO’s mission through both giving and going. Rena is GO EquipHer certified and helps facilitate trainings that disciple and empower women around the world. Her ministry is rooted in the conviction of John 3:30 — “He must increase, and I must decrease” — a posture that defines how she leads, serves, and walks with others in the Great Commission.
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