Last month my team and I traveled to a total of 15 different schools all across the province of Tak Fa. We spent most our mornings in pairs teaching English in classrooms full of old school chairs, tables and dusty chalkboards. Heat took domain in the atmosphere under the excitement the children expressed; white foreigners, especially women establish celebrity status in most the schools along with a slight mix of confusion, curiosity and conspiracy. In the afternoons we taught a gospel portion, which in best cases we were allowed to share a few minutes of a testimony, a Bible skit and ended the afternoon with handing out Christian booklets. At the end of the month over 2000 students took home the story of the Gospel. I spoke the name of Jesus while Buddhist idol statues across the classroom stared me in the face; I wondered how many times Jesus won the staring contest. In a country where 5 temples take the place of every Tim Horton’s back home, it can be a daunting task, that is if I didn’t know that God’s word never turns up void. God’s word never turns up void.
Beside school mornings and afternoons we also lead prayer walks around towns, markets, church member’s crops and fields, and places of idol worship. One walk that particularly stood out was in another province two hours from our ministry site, a crowded market that seemed to stretch out for miles. It was filled with people; women squatting and swatting the flies off their produce; headless fish, chicken feet stew, smells and sights that chocked the senses. We experienced a heavy spiritual climate and oppression as we walked through the streets, Holy Spirit taking the lead our spiritual eyes were drawn to specific things; people demon filled, unclean spirits, corruption, sadness, and pain. We walked and prayed, prayed and walked, inviting the Spirit to bless the ground where we walked. At the end of each walk we were spiritually exhausted.
Back at our ministry site this wasn’t the case, as soon as we walked in the first day we felt goodness from the people who prayed here every morning at 5am for hours, we soon saw the desires of the people and the pastor, the incredible favour God had given them. It was here that our team lead people through deliverance’s and where a young girl with an incredible and unbelieving testimony gave her life to Christ. But perhaps the most memorable experience was while in the presence of a young man. That day I spoke in tongues for the first time, joining my team in prayer of deliverance for that young man trapped under satan’s lies. Loosing his leg five years ago he thought himself unworthy and different. That day tongues were given, prophesy was spoken, that young man was delivered from a spirit of darkness over his life, a pornography addiction and a spirit of comparison. He asked for forgiveness and was met with grace, mercy and unconditional love. Staring from that moment he will never be the same, baptized in the Holy Spirit and now a warrior of Christ.
In these moments, in that moment, I realized that this isn’t just the World Race, this is the life God has for each one of us. Miracles happen every day when we believe in the authority God has given to us. There were countless moments like these, moments where I saw how big my God is, and in that particular moment I realized I am a messenger, I am a vessel, and I am also a planter of seeds.
“Paul planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the growth, no neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but it is only God who gives the increase.” 1Cor 3:6-7.
Standing in a field of sunflowers and overlooking God’s creation.
Washing the feet of our ministry host and serving like Jesus did.
