East Asia: December 2007

The team that I had the opportunity to serve with, we were fortunate enough to meet and share the Gospel with over 2000 people in China. The Lord used us to increase his territory and bring Him glory. We had the opportunity to visit three colleges, one middle school and one kindergarten. Most of the emphasis was place on the relationships built with the college students. We were able to attend these colleges multiple times while in country. We would share some of our culture with them and discuss our holidays. We concentrated on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. This allowed students to ask questions about our lives and traditions that we celebrate in America. We were only scheduled to speak at one of the colleges one time, but the Lord allowed us to speak at this university eight times. The Lord really was very faithful to allow us to speak to as many people as possible. He also allowed the Missionaries in our city to throw Christmas parties that allowed us to present the gospel to hundreds more people. The Lord was very gracious in allowing us to see over 120 people come to know him in the short amount of time that we were in country. In a country that contains 1.3 BILLION people and LESS THAN 1 % KNOW CHRIST, I believe that this 120 people was a huge milestone in the city that I served.

For me personally, this trip has sincerely changed my life and my perspective on my faith. It has changed my outlook on who, when and how I share my faith with the people around me. The Chinese people are most definitely the most sincere, most loving, most accepting, most genuine and most peaceful people group that I have ever encountered (and that does include churches). The Chinese Brothers and Sisters I met are the most passionate and sincere people of the faith that I believe I have ever met. They have to be. In China, it is illegal to spread any kind of faith with anyone under the age of eighteen (including parents to their children). But the state sponsored churches and house churches are filled with children and adults alike. People are tightly packing into small rooms at the end of alleyways just to worship our Lord. These people are endangering themselves daily to live the faith. And people in America are to disobedient and selfish to spread our faith when the only things we have to fear is rejection and having to swallow our pride. In China, there is a good possibility that if they share their faith with the wrong individual that they could be sent to prison. That doesn’t stop them from going and making disciples. It seems that in America we just don’t have enough passion for the cross (I’m definitely included). Hopefully this trip has awoken me to that passion for my faith and my Lord.

Written By John Knox

East Asia: December 2007

While in China, we got to experience a lot of things.  First off was the food, I never had so much stuff stare back at me while I ate it in my life.  Also, on a daily basis, we got to talk to students about Christ.  And since we were there over Christmas break, we were able to tell them why we celebrate Christmas and share with them the Christmas story.  We probably got to share with over a thousand students. They would ask us questions about what we believed, and if they asked us we share with them the glory that is in Christ.  We went to Christmas parties and at one of these parties, there were over a hundred people that gave their lives to Christ. 

One of the universities, which last year was only visited once because of they didn’t want a team there, was visited by our group six times!  It just goes to show how God is opening doors in China and how He wants His name known there.  One of my Chinese friends encouraged me to tell others about China, the real China.  The people there are so nice, so willingly to go out of their way to help you.  They are also hungry for the Truth.

We went to several buddhist temples, and they we some of the darkest place I have ever been.  They reminded me of when we were coming and leaving the city – there was a thick blanket of cloud for as far as I could see not letting any light through.  But the great thing about of God is that He is able to break through the clouds so that light will shine.  On Christmas day we got to see the light.

Written By Chris Robinson

East Asia: December 2007

Amazing, eye opening, and unforgettable are a few words that are used to describe missions but for me and I am sure that it is true with many others.  My trip to China was life changing.  I cannot even begin to explain what all I experienced on this trip in just one short paragraph.  This trip made me realize the importance, the urgency, and the need for missions.  There are so many amazing people out there who are dieing every day without ever hearing the word of Jesus Christ.  The best thing that I came away from this trip with is such a huge heart for the lost and for missions.

If I had to pick one moment that had the biggest effect on me it would be one night when we were sitting in the missionary’s house and he played a tape for us.  On the tape was a girl telling the story of Jesus in the Zhuang language.  The Zhuang people group is the largest un-reached minority group in China with over 17 million people.  90% live in the Guanxi Province which is where we worked.  There is no written language for the Zhuang people and 85% have never heard the name of Christ.  After listening to the tape the missionary told us that we are probably the 4th group of people to have ever heard the story of Jesus in that language.  After hearing this, I was so humbled and in awe.  But it didn’t end there - I was able to meet this girl and become very good friends with her.  Getting to know her was such a huge blessing.  It is so easy to be a Christian here in the U.S. that we take it for granted so much.  Seeing how she lived her life and hearing her testimony broke my heart. 

We went there hoping to be a blessing to everyone we were with but being around students like her as well as many others blessed my life more that I could ever say.

Written By Ramsey Emerson

East Asia: December 2007

One thing that I took away with me from China was a real sense of how big and amazing God is. God is in all places at once and the things He is doing in China is nothing short of amazing. To be able to sit in a room and pray with other students who are all praying in their own language was awesome. There was about six languages being spoken at once in prayer; and the best part is, God understood all of what was said. Although I was a foreigner in a foreign country, we are all seeking the same thing…God. I have always heard this concept but to witness first hand the glory of God and how He understands all is still a concept I cannot fully grasp. God showed me a glimpse of his greatness when I witnessed this one small event of prayer.

Written By Lyndi