Today, we left our dorm at 7:30 to be at our ministry site, Agape Shalom Center (AKA Salem Chapel). We had a full day of teaching English and Bible study alongside our contact, Praesad. He’s a man originally from India and is married to a Chinese woman from Singapore. They have felt that God called them to a life of ministry here in Cambodia. During the week, the center mostly teaches English classes with a bible study each morning and on Thursday evenings as well (all of which we will be helping with or running completely while we are here). Praesad grew up as a Hindu, which is the most common religion in India, but came to know Jesus when he was a teenager. I don’t know the entire story yet, but I do know that his family disowned him when he became a believer and told them about his faith. He mentioned having to go hungry many times as a young man because of his faith. I try to imagine a life where I would have to choose between food and my faith in Jesus, but I can’t.
Jesus tells us in Luke 14:26-28 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison-your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
These are not easy words to accept. Praesad had to go hungry, and I believe he knew that his faith would cause this when he chose to follow Jesus. This is a perfect example of what Jesus meant when He said that we need to ‘carry our own cross’. Praesad’s cross was the hunger he would bear, and the loss of his family. The cross I have to bear is occasionally being made fun of for my faith and people thinking I’m one of those ‘crazy Christians’. I suppose I can take it deeper and say that I had to leave my family this year for my faith, and that is part of the cross I bear. Though, when I chose to follow Jesus (back when I was 18 years old), I don’t think I even considered these negative consequences before I made my decision.
I’m curious to know if any of you reading this have had to give up anything huge because of your faith?
