Summer Recap Part 1: East Asia

Allow me to share some about the trips God enabled me to go on this past summer. The first trip kinda fell in my lap. A good friend of mine who had been to East Asia before was planning on going with a team from Tabernacle Church of Norfolk. This team was headed up by Mike and Joy Lane, missionaries to East Asia. Bert Moore from VBCC was also on the team. After my friend felt that he needed to drop out for several reasons (all of them good), he and the Lanes requested that I would take his spot on the team. Right from the beginning, despite coming onto the team late and not being able to make most of the team meetings, it was evident that God was at work here. God met our every need. From raising financial and prayer support, unifying the team, and travel difficulties to effective and well received teaching and presentations and opportunities to share the gospel, we witnessed God's grace.
So what did we do? Well, the focus of our trip was to go into this new area in East Asia where there is no church and establish a good relationship with the government and the community by conducting English camps creating an opporunity for the Lanes to serve there on a long term basis. While we did everything on our part to have an excellent camp, the officials in this city did not. We arrived to a less than what was promised situation. At first appearance, it didn't look great but God had bigger and better things in store than what we had planned. Our team ended up splitting into two groups. One stayed and conducted the camp where we were, the other became a traveling team. Both teams had great success in their own right. This broadened the Lane's influence and networking at a much quicker pace than what they had planned.
I had the great opportunity and privelege of having on of the East Asians (Bill Li) stay with me while I was there. He was my assistant in the camp and became a good friend. We had several times of in depth conversation about Christianity including a chance to have a Bible study together. I left him with a Bible in his language and a great challenge to pursue God as if it was the most important thing he could do (as he had stated and agreed to do). I am happy to report that a couple of weeks after we left, he moved to another city, met some local Christians, and gave his life to Christ. Praise God!


I also was able to give some of my Christian cd's to several students. Many of them have commented on how much they like them. I have even had them ask about the lyrics. Contact with a few of these students are continuing sporadically.
Please pray for Bill Li and the local church there. The church is under scrutiny and has been persecuted by the government a number of times.
Pray for the fire to be enflamed by the Spirit of God.
Pray for their doctrine to be sound.
Pray for the seeds that were planted in the students lives by our love, message, and continual influence with Christian messages through the cd's to take root in fertile soil.
Pray for more workers to go!
PRAY! We are without excuse -- even if you can't go, you can and should pray!
Praise God for his work in this land and among this people for His glory.

I thank God for this opportunity to go and serve in East Asia. Maybe you could ask the Lanes how you could assist them in their service there or even be a part of the work God is doing there by going short or long term. They would love to hear from you.