Sitting in a coffee shop may not seem like much of a ministry, however this month it is. This month more than half of the squad is doing what is called Unsung Heroes. We go out into a country in search for potential ministry contacts for future racers. We are on the ground working for people back in the Adventures in Missions (AIM) office.
I am in a closed country. This means the “m,” “G,” and “C” words (missionary, God, Christian) cannot be mentioned in public settings. This makes it much more complicated to find people who are Christians and have a ministry that is Kingdom focused. If you were to mention you are a Christian you could be thrown in jail or deported and no one wants that to happen. This is why they are careful giving out their information.
We come to coffee shops with wifi to search for “volunteer” or “humanitarian” work. Some searches come up empty, but others are fruitful. We have had a couple meetings of potential contacts for the future, which is rewarding and an answer to prayer.
This month we are relying on God to set up these appointments and put us in the right place at the right time. And he does! The other day I was in a coffee shop and over heard a few foreigners speak of things that seemed much like they were missionaries without having to say so. I sat and listened, trying to figure out who they were. I felt like a spy. As I was walking out the door with a couple squad mates, one of the foreigners said hi and asked what we were up to here in Laos. We gave the “we are volunteers” answer. Missionaries who use that answer themselves catch on quickly as to why we are really here. We proceeded to speak discreetly of our true mission without saying the “m,” “G,” and “C” words. One of the men we talked to pointed us toward the manager of the coffee shop who turns out to be a Christian. We went to his office and talked with him and he gave us leads to other contacts in the area! God set that one up. Thank you God for divine appointments!
Four of us went to another meeting with a pastor who oversees many underground churches. We walked into a building and headed up 3 flights of stairs. We took off our shoes at the door and walked into the space they worship. About 10 locals filed in after us, and as I looked around I realized I was apart of an underground church meeting. This pastor was telling us about all the work God is already doing in this country. Thousands of people have come to know Jesus. However, they have to be discreet with how they go about ministering to people. The people sitting before me fight for their faith. Fight for the right to be Christians in the country they live in. They fight in prayer. And they live everyday with the fear of persecution.
A man who was apart of this meeting was put in jail back in 2012 for bringing 300 people to Jesus.
People have been deported or put in jail for being Christians.
A pastor was shot because he was a Christian.
This is real, and this is the reality these people are living in.
But there is HOPE! God is at work here. Thousands of people are followers of Christ because of the obedience and diligence of the people willing to risk their lives for what they believe. This is NOT something to be scared of; this is something to be AWARE of and FIGHT for. Fight in prayer. The Lord God Almighty is here in this country and the world! He fights for his children.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first…If they persecute me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” John 15:18 & 20-21
