David Kaplivsky

here a little interview to David Kaplivsky before he leaves. He was a missionary for two years in Peru and he was serving in Koinonia - Lima church, including Canete. Now he has returned to his country.

1.- How long have you been in Peru as a missionary?

I came to Peru as a missionary on March 28th, 2005. So Two years.

2. How did the Lord call you to come to Peru as a missionary?
In the summer of 2004 I came to Peru with Calvary Chapel Brentwood and Boynton Beach for a two week mission trip. My experience on that trip was life changing. I met a missionary Brad Sosnowski, who was ministering as the worship leader at Koinonia. I stayed at his house for those two weeks and the Lord used him as one of the ways to call me to Peru as a missionary. We had long talks as we walked his dog Levi. He helped me see that missionaries are not specially spiritual people. They are just available vessels that the Lord enables to accomplish his purposes and proclaim his message. The group that came back from that trip was not the same that went. We were closer to each other and to brothers and sisters hundreds of miles away in a different continent. We were also ready to make ourselves more available to listen to and serve the Lord.

On the plane ride home the Lord was putting on my heart to come back to Peru as a missionary. My main objection was, “How will I eat?” As we were landing the Lord answered me. I almost audibly heard him say “when you got on this plane you trusted that the pilot and crew would get you safely from Lima to Miami. Am I not more trustworthy than them?” I have flown many times in my life but that was the roughest and scariest landing ever!

The next few weeks I wrestled with the Lord about this call. I was comfortable and secure with what was happening in my life. But something that Brad said to my on one of those talks kept on wringing in my head. He said, “I have met so many Christians that heard a call to missions when they were younger but did not obey. They all regret it because they are now finding it very hard to get free from mortgages and other responsibilities to heed this call.” I didn’t want that to happen to me.

There were various places in scripture that the Lord used to call me but the one that stands out the most is the encounter of the rich young man with Jesus. At the end Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." These words rang in my soul.

3.-What was your greatest fear as the date to come to Peru got closer?
Along with whether or not the Lord would provide, if I was making a mistake.

4.What has the Lord taught you in these past two years?
This has been my continual prayer, “Lord, teach me to love others as you have loved me.” He has answered this prayer in various ways. One of the ways is by the example in others. There are many people I have served with in the past two years that are pouring their lives out for the Lord daily with such joy and contentment. I am continually amazed and humbled when I see this. I will have made great gains when the Lord produces in me half their character.
The Lord also taught me to love a little more like him by putting me in situations where I had the option to love people that I don't like. He also taught me that many times to love someone you will have to confront them about their sin.

5.-What are you going to miss most about Peru?
I think what I will miss most is my family in Christ. The Lord has been faithful to his promise in Matthew 19:29 and given me many brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. I will also miss the adventure of serving the Lord in a foreign country. It was so exciting to see how the Lord would glorify himself in my weaknesses on a daily basis.

6.-What advice would you give to people that are considering coming to Peru as missionaries or are going to other places as missionaries?
Make sure that you are in the word daily and listening to what the Lord is telling you.
Any service to the Lord should be a call not a job.
Beware of any service to God that causes you to neglect your relationship with Him.
Don't discouraged by the difficulty of the task. If your service can be done in your own strength then it's probably not from God. Look at difficulties the way a surfer looks at waves: as opportunities for adventure to be moved by a force greater than himself.
Allow people to make a sacrifice to God by helping you, even Jesus allowed Simon to help Him carry His cross.
Expect the unexpected. The Lord wants to be glorified and wants to increase your faith

Thank you David.