My role on my squad is something called an “Unsung Hero Coordinator”. Basically it’s my job to look for people in the countries we visit who would potentially be good ministry contacts for future World Race teams to live and work with.
Essentially, I get to search for awesome people who have a passion for the Lord and for serving Him and furthering the Kingdom. Not a big deal! That’s my job.
For our first month of ministry in China, we had a lot of freedom in what we wanted ministry to look like. We had guides and Chinese people to help us translate and show us where to go, but we could choose what our days consisted of.
Somehow, we were led to a little coffee shop. A couple people on the team that we were working with happened to have a hankering for a good cup of coffee, and so our Chinese guide took us to this adorable oasis in the middle of Harbin called Milk and Honey Land Café.
It turns out that the owners of the coffee shop are Christians. Their names are Chris and Lucy, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that the instant we stepped into that café, a wave of peace washed over our hearts.
We fell in love with that place – with Chris and Lucy, and with their desire to bring people to know Christ through running the coffee shop.
I have to say, the only explanation for the work we were able to do during our time in Harbin is Jesus. After talking to Chris and Lucy for a while, all the pieces began to fall into place – they helped us to make flyers that we could pass out for the English Corner that just sort of happened without much thought. Then they helped us to plan out both a bible study and a movie night/English Corner for the following week.
God was on fire!
After experiencing Chris and Lucy’s longing for the people of China to know God, you can’t help but yearn for that same goal. It’s not always easy for Christians to live out their faith in China, but Chris and Lucy took that leap and opened up a coffee shop – a getaway where people can come in, make themselves at home, enjoy a cup of coffee, and experience the love of Christ through two people who want nothing more than for everyone to know the same God that they know.
In my opinion, that’s what an unsung hero is: “A person who makes a substantive yet unrecognized contribution; a person whose bravery is unknown or unacknowledged.”
A person whose bravery is unknown or unacknowledged. Well I’d like to acknowledge Chris and Lucy. I pray that God will continue to bless and encourage them in their mission to bring the Kingdom to Harbin, China. I pray that other World Race teams will be able to connect with the Milk and Honey Land Café so that they can put on events in the welcoming atmosphere of this place where God is clearly working.
Please keep Chris and Lucy and the Milk and Honey Land Café in your prayers! Jesus is using this place and these people to bring people to know Christ and I just know that He will continue to do so.
