Doing some cleaning and decluttering and so I found some of my old shirts that I am no longer using but decided to keep because of the memories and stories I have with them.
“Ten Days China” shirt reminds me of my very first short term missions trip and my first out of the country. This happened back in December 2012.
When I became a Christian in 2008 and became part of Victory, I was a 2nd year nursing student. I would always hear stories of people going to other nations to evangelize, to disciple, and see other nations worship Jesus Christ. I remember our pastors would preach about the Great Commission and challenge the church to take part in World Missions either through prayers, giving, or going.
In a discipleship class that I attended, the pastor encouraged us to memorize Matthew 28:19-20 by heart. The idea of world missions never really clicked in me as a student, maybe because of the fact that I have not even been to another country. It's a good idea but maybe it's not for me. After finishing college in 2011, my parents decided that we get our passports. It was only during that time that the idea of going to another country became a possibility.
In 2012, a team was formed to do a short term missions trip to China and I was privileged to be part of it. I was a fresh grad, still unemployed (because of the overwhelming number of nurses during that time, the hospital could not hire us all) my passport has never been used, but all I have is faith that God will send me and will use me to preach the gospel to the nations.
There were a lot of memories , lessons and encounters that I had during my first missions trip. But the very thing that resonated with me, and has made a mark in my life was when we witness the love of God at work in our team, and in the lives of the people we've met.
I have learned that the love of God brings us to the truth that nothing in this world can truly give us what we are all longing for. No one and nothing in this world can truly satisfy us. If we know, understand and experience the love of God, we will realize that the love that this world offers is substandard. It is nothing compared to the love of God. It's not real love because it's temporary, it's conditional, it's self-centered. When we were in China, even though we were not from that nation, you will feel it inside your heart how much the Lord loves them. It's like God allowing our hearts to beat just as how His heart beats for them. During our short stay, we’ve learned about their culture by talking to the locals and hearing what life was for them. We spent most of our time in the campus engaging students through conversations and building friendship with them by going to their school events and activities. The amazing thing about God's love is that it will break down walls in our hearts so that we will be able to love people, even those who are totally different from us. It was also a first for me to experience house churches. They may not have the facilities like a huge main hall with loud speakers, complete music instruments, and comfortable chairs but what the church in that nation have is a burning heart that echoes into their worship and devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That trip made a mark in my life forever. From that day on I have always prayed to God to use me whenever He would bring me to another nation, whether it's a vacation or a missions trip. This experience ignited the fire as well in my heart to constantly pray for the nations, that the gospel will be preached and salvation will come upon the people in every nation.
And with everything that's happening right now in the different nations of the world, I hope that all the more we will partner with God in reaching the nations whether it's through our prayers, our giving (supporting missionaries and/or mission work), or if some of us will be called to go.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” -1 Chronicles 16:31
