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“Burn the Ships” was coined after the Spanish commander, Hernán Cortés, as he led his
crew to destroy their vessels upon landing in the Americas to face the Aztec Empire. This
phrase and story were recently brought back to me by the band For King and Country and
their song by the same name.
...Burn the ships...
...Cut the ties...
...Step into a new day...
...Don’t you look back...
As the original story goes, commander Cortés landed with his men on the Gulf Coast city of
Veracruz, Mexico, where they would soon face the warriors of the Aztec Empire. Knowing
the task before them and the risk that it entailed, he ordered his men to burn the ships,
eliminating the temptation to return to where they knew it was safe. No looking back.
This story in history is heavy. In fact, the imagery of a commander leading his troops to
conquer a nation is the exact opposite example of healthy short-term missions. That said,
the imagery struck me as I look at my life and the calling that the Lord has given me:
“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength
and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Luke 10:27
This calling is not only for me, but it is for us, the Church. This is what we are entering
into on mission and in our daily life. These are what Jesus himself said are the greatest
commandments, and that all other commandments hang on these two. To that calling and
mission, I say: Burn the Ships. No looking back. All your heart, all your soul, all your strength.
This is the calling of the Christian life and a commitment that will undoubtedly have its risks,
but will be met with many blessings.
With that, I’m excited for you, and grateful that you have committed to joining PPM (Praying
Pelican Missions) on the mission field this year. In the following pages, you will learn more
about our organization; our heart, our mission, and our vision. You will see our unwavering
belief in the local Church and the power that is held within it. You will learn our desire to
“act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly,” and the importance of that calling when serving
cross culturally. You will be given tools and resources to serve well, and a set of devotions
that cover the life and ministry of Jesus and how that impacts our daily life.
Through all of this, my prayer is that God would lay on your heart a desire to truly live a life
of faith and trust in Him. God is uniting His Church all over the world, calling us to love Him
with all our heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The future is bright - God is on
the move.
God bless you as you serve.
Jim Noreen
Interim President
Praying Pelican Missions