HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
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God’s Blueprint for a Struggling Call A testimony of a journey into cross-cultural missions
Editor’s Note: The writer of this article is Faith’s newest overseas mission worker. She has chosen to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of her work in her mission field. Let us continue to uphold all our mission heroes of Faith who have chosen to step out and make a difference in the harvest fields of the world.
How It All Started Being a social worker was something I enjoyed passionately as it allowed me to directly or indirectly communicate the love of Christ with people I interacted with. In 2016 however, I was perplexed when I sensed God was calling me into full-time cross-cultural work in a particular nation. I often regarded myself as a “worm”, content to burrow in warm, moist soil underneath the surface. But God sought me beneath the layers and took me out of my comfort zone. To ascertain that I had heard God’s call correctly, I decided to explore areas where I could serve effectively in the country I felt drawn to. In Varsity Christian Fellowship (VCF), we learned to view missions holistically whereby we share the love of Christ by meeting people’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs. On hindsight, ministering to my host country, which is a Creative Access Nation (CAN), was not a random call in God’s
blueprint. Some 10 years prior, I had met a group of business students from this land via a cross-cultural exchange event organised by VCF. My interest and love for these people grew when one of them became a close friend of mine.
Answering The Call After I graduated from university, I went on shortterm mission trips to this country yearly. During one particular trip in March 2017, I worked with a local NGO and helped to conduct a one-day workshop on suicide assessment and intervention. I witnessed firsthand how God transformed the lives of ex-drug addicts in a rehabilitation centre. That trip became a turning point for me. God spoke to me clearly and confirmed my desire to serve Him in the area of social work with the locals. With support from Faith, family and friends, I eventually left my “safe place”, which included a nine-year career as a social worker, and started training as a full-time crosscultural worker.
His Strength Made Perfect In My Weakness Many times I find myself struggling physically, emotionally and spiritually. Not only do I have to adjust to a new “culture”, I also have to frequently grapple with basic but essential biblical truths such as “Who am I in Christ”. Many sleepless nights I beseeched God, with fear and trembling, “Lord, will I get there?” After one particularly exhausting day, I asked the Lord for a word for me. “Fruitfulness” was the word He gave. I took that as a promise of what is to come and a reminder to abide in the True Vine (John 15:1, 4). God also reminded me that He is to be the “living water” for the people in my host country, whose souls are “parched with thirst” for Him. Today, I still struggle in certain areas, but with the LORD’s hand in my life, I am safe and secure. With the LORD, even an insignificant person like me is made strong and able to “crush mountains” (Isaiah 41:15).
FAITHLINK . JULY 2018
