What would life really look like if we lived our OPUS? If you cast aside what hindered you and dedicated your life to your greatest calling? What kind of impact would you have? What would happen to your sense of fulfillment?
I want you to meet Kevin and Christina Quist. Two people who are pursuing their OPUS.
- How did you discover your OPUS?
We lived a fairly normal American life. We were both teachers, have 5 children, go to lots of ball games and attend church. We had a “safe life” but not a significant one.
Then one day while reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan, we were struck by his statement:
But God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.
That statement struck at the lukewarm nature of our faith. It caused us to awaken. We wanted to know the Jesus that changed the world with 12 men; the Jesus of the New Testament. We wanted our lives to count for something more.
- How did you get from there to here?
A short while later, we read a book called The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns. There is a chapter in the book about a little church in Cape Town, South Africa that is battling the pandemic of AIDS.
Something about the story grabbed our attention. On a whim, we e-mailed the pastor of the church about a short-term mission trip. A short while later, we found ourselves on a plane to Africa.
What we saw there both broke our hearts and inspired us. For two weeks we witnessed the hand of God moving and desperately wanted to be a part of it. We had fallen in love with the county, the culture, the pain, the beauty and the hope. It was like we were carrying around the puzzle pieces of our lives and finally found the rest of the puzzle. This was it. This was our new home.
What is the God-sized vision for this ministry?
In the cluster of shanty towns where we will be serving, there’s no organized sports outreach. Gangs, crime drugs and AIDS are everyday vocabulary. There are over 100,000 people and nothing for the teens through the language of sports. Our vision is to start sports leagues for the hard to reach teens; build relationships and eventually build leaders.
Hope is a precious commodity. Without the love of Jesus there is no hope. We want to bring the HOPE that we have been blessed to know.
- What organization are you working with?
We are working with an organization called Living Hope. They offer a 22 bed health care facility, homeless shelter, job training school, kids Bible clubs and life skills education. They don’t just take on HIV/AIDS, they care for the whole person.
- How can people get involved and partner with you in this?
As un-paid volunteers, we are responsible for raising our own support. With a large family to provide for, this is a daunting task. Currently, we are busy looking for partners who will help make this dream a reality.
If you would like more information about supporting the Quists in the pursuit of their OPUS, click here.
If you’re not living out your OPUS then you’re not really living. More on OPUS coming in the next few weeks. Or take the fast track and join the rest of the tribe.
