Clearly it's been a while since I've written anything here! I've been fairly busy this year, but after my trip to East Asia this summer, my first trip overseas and my first intentional missions experience, I knew I wanted to share some of what we did there, and ultimately my heart, with my friends. We went to teach English in a cultural exchange camp with a large high-school in Asia. From 9-12 each morning we taught conversational English on topics like Family, Friends, Unconditional Love, Christmas, Easter, and Setting Goals. Each of us was the American leader for a group of about 6 Asian teens with whom we spent nearly all of our time. We worked on activities and had discussions with them in class, using the curriculum lessons to springboard into conversations on their family, past, hobbies, and beliefs. After classes each day, groups would go out to lunch with their American and spend 4-5 hours in the afternoons together- playing games, visiting cultural places around their city, and just generally building relationships and becoming good friends. This was definitely a challenge for me. I am a hard core introvert, naturally more quiet. But here I found myself in a situation where I was in charge of keeping everyone entertained and spending many HOURS each day with a fairly large group of Asian-speaking teens! Needless to say, I was nervous. But thank goodness, God is good. He proved that his grace is sufficient for me, and he provided more energy and inspiration through his Spirit than I could have ever had in my own strength. Despite the difficulty, I loved the time with my students. Getting to know them and letting them immerse me in their culture was such a joy. We played American games that I taught them, and they taught me Asian games as well! We visiting shopping malls and biked around the city. We sang Karaoke in both languages. We visited museums, went to the movies, ate every kind of Asian food under the sun, laughed and teased each other, and just hung out! Getting to experience the culture and a bunch of fun things in it was definitely enjoyable, but through every activity and conversation, our team’s goal and purpose remained at the forefront of our minds. Every minute spent with our students was part of our relational evangelism. We were developing deep and meaningful relationships with our students to show that we loved them and cared about them as people, so that from there we would have a platform and foundation from which to share the gospel and open their eyes to God’s love, a love so infinitely greater than our own. We were always looking for ways to use the class material, discussion questions, or comments our students made to bring conversations to a spiritual level, asking our new friends what they thought about God or Jesus or life after death. The country we worked in is closed to traditional missionary work. It’s a communist country, so the government tells the people what to do and believe- and although their constitution technically allows freedom of religion, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The government tells the people that there is no God. From infancy up through middle school, high school, and the university, parents, teachers and authorities drill it into the children that there is no God. Proselytizing is illegal. Outspoken Christians there almost always lose their jobs and reputation, are monitored by the government, and are often taken in for interrogation. Essentially, their religion is loyalty to the state. But that’s what made our trip so amazing. During the class on Easter, a “traditional American holiday” and “just part of the culture,” we were able to talk about Jesus dying on the cross, and do a skit that explained the entire gospel in front of all 60 students! The experience was unbelievable. During lunch with my students afterwards, we were talking about the lesson- and that’s when they informed me that not a single one of them had ever heard a single thing about God, Jesus or the Bible. It cut me to the heart. I have grown up my entire life reading Bible stories and hearing that Jesus loves me and wants to be my friend. But for these kids, it was never a part of their family life or childhood. God really overwhelmed me with how very privileged I am to live in the country and family he has placed me in. He also showed me what an incredible honor it was to be the first one sharing Him with these students, getting to start from the very beginning about him with people who had no preconceived ideas about God like many Americans do. That day I got to share my testimony with my 6 students over lunch, and that really opened the door to start bringing God into nearly every subsequent conversation. After all, God impacts every area of my life! From the beginning, our team leaders emphasized the fact that this trip was not about just making converts. Our leaders encouraged us to “scatter the seeds,” realizing that only God makes them grow, and to see which students were at the place of being ready to receive Christ, while trusting that God was still working even in the hearts of those who were uninterested in what we had to say. In my group, Lion and Tessa were the ones whose hearts God had opened to himself. They asked questions, were curious and open. When I had a more individual time with them to really talk about salvation and what it meant to start a relationship with God, they understood, were able to articulate to me why they wanted it, and prayed to receive Christ into their hearts. I helped them by praying in English, and said they should repeat after me in their own language. When I told this to Tessa she looked up at me, and I will never forget the wonder in her eyes as she said in awe, “God understands MY language?” I will never forget when we told Lion that God and the angels were rejoicing in heaven because of him- he looked at us with indescribable light and joy in his eyes and said, “wow, really???” It was beyond amazing to be used by God in that way to help bring someone to himself; it is such a privilege, and words cannot describe the joy it gave me. From our time in Asia overall, 60 students who have never been exposed to God got to hear the gospel, in a school that would NEVER have allowed that. 14 students actually decided to give their lives to Christ and become his disciples, receiving Asian Bibles, follow-up from Christians nationals, and our fervent daily prayers for them and their growth in Christ as they pursue him in a country hostile to his name. And numerous other seeds were planted in the hearts and minds of the teens there as we loved them well and shared about the most important One in our lives. Who knows what else God has in store for them! He sees the whole picture, and his plan and timing are infinitely greater than our own. He is so good. Being in Asia showed me how very privileged we are in America with democracy and freedom. Those words get thrown around a lot, but I never truly realized their significance and true meaning until I lived for a month in a country where they are non-existent. Our team had to talk in code, using innocuous words for God and Jesus and other spiritual terms. We were not allowed to walk down hallways or streets with Bibles or spiritual papers in view. We were cautioned not to have spiritual conversations with students in the hotel, school, or other buildings because of cameras and recorders. Having worship, or attending a church service, was completely out of the question. A month in those conditions left me hungering to speak and sing and shout about my Savior and Lord! The fact that we can share openly about God here without worrying that the government will drag us in for interrogation is absolutely amazing- and yet we completely take it for granted. God impressed on me that I should be using my freedom here for his kingdom. I shouldn’t be afraid to share my faith with non-believers as I develop relationships with them, and though my current circles are largely Christian, I am praying for opportunities to start friendships at ACC. I want to be intentional, like we were in Asia, about purposefully developing relationships with non-believers, and looking for ways to share with them my love of God and who he is. That’s something that shouldn’t be just in other countries; I want it to be part of my home ministry as well. In addition, Jesus’ call to go and make disciples weighed heavily upon my heart during our trip. Having to leave the country so soon after my students accepted Christ was very difficult. I know that someone will follow up with them, but it’s so, so hard to not be the one discipling them, teaching them more about how to use their Bible and draw closer to God. God spoke to me that although I can’t disciple my Asian students, there ARE people I can be discipling right where I am. I want to be intentional about pursuing this and pouring out into those around me, loving them well and helping them to grow in Christ. My time in East Asia was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was so hard, but so worth it; it stretched me out of my comfort zone and grew me in so many areas. It changed me as a person, broadened my horizons, gave me new vision. My prayer is that I would never forget my experiences there, never forget the ways that God has changed me and given me goals for the future and my ministry here at home. I am so beyond thankful to my parents, my financial and prayer supporters, and to God for the opportunity to have gone and experienced the country, the people, and the ministry. It truly was a life-changing adventure.
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AuthorHey, I'm Caelan! I'm a sophomore at Baylor University and love life and the world God has created for us to explore through learning, the arts, and the outdoors. But most of all, I seek to know HIM. Psalm 34:5 says that those who look to God are radiant. I desire to shine the radiance and glory of the Father, for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Soli Deo Gloria Archives
November 2019
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