A Chinese Christian serving overseas shares her experiences of learning to look to God and depending on him when faced with cultural and spiritual challenges. China Christian Daily provides an account of an online meeting where this missionary shared her struggles and victories and other Christians responded to her testimony.
A Chinese Missionary Woman’s Practice of “a Kernel of Wheat” Overseas
Recently, a Chinese missionary woman gave a testimony about her overseas mission in an online sharing meeting. She talked about the grace she received, her struggles, her hesitations, and her journey of learning to regain strength under various circumstances. After she shared, the audience responded during the second half of the meeting.
To serve God well, the missionary (name withheld for security reasons) began to equip herself in 2007. During her fifteen-year preparation to serve as a missionary overseas one day, in addition to studying nursing and theology, she has also obtained a kindergarten-teacher certification and learned how to make coffee.
One of her classmates, Pastor F, got in touch with her unexpectedly. After hearing about her difficult situation, the pastor made an offering to her which moved this missionary woman greatly.
This missionary is based in an Islamic country where her work environment is very difficult. In her words: “I am so close to heaven every day.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country has gotten very serious, she has experienced loneliness, depression, and hesitation in her heart under the multiple pressures she is experiencing. Once when she was praying, God said to her, “Look up to me instead of looking at what you can’t help with.” After that she shifted her focus and began to feel stronger inside.
In her testimony, she said:
Here, I dress and I eat with my hands like the locals. When I am among them, if I don’t eat the same way, I’m not be able to taste that original flavor. Having integrated into the local culture, I feel that I am no different from the local people but am one of them. I am very grateful for being trained abroad and for my spiritual growth.
For a while, I fell into depression and bitterness because I couldn’t do anything when the impoverished, local people asked me for help. But when I prayed, God spoke to me, “Why do you keep your eyes on what you can’t do instead of looking up to me? I am the God who can help you.” Turning to God, I regained my strength. We are now helping local people with job opportunities. In the meantime, we try to influence them through loving service, hoping that one day they can embrace the gospel of Christ.
The following thoughts were shared by the Christian audience.
C. said,
Hearing this missionary’s testimony, I am moved by how her mother and mother-in-law have been praying for her all the time. Her mother-in-law said, “Since I have offered my son to God, I don’t want him to run from God’s call.” I see that the support of the mothers’ prayers is very important for excellent missionaries.
S. commented:
My heart really ached because I am not able to work in front-line preaching ministries like hers nor can I do any relevant ministry at home. Later, we decided to make a designated, fixed offering to this missionary woman every month. Afterward, I initiated a monthly donation of 100 yuan per person to the front-line missionaries in my church. Thanks to God, many people participated willingly. In this difficult time, may God use our offerings to help those in need and make them very happy. Thanks to all believers for walking together with me.
Q. shared:
Every time I listen to a missionary’s testimony, my biggest takeaway is that I want to repent for always focusing on my own difficulties. It’s not easy for them to stand in a position of completely relying on God. I can’t preach like them, but I want to be able to contribute through offerings.
W. added that while this missionary woman served God whole-heartedly, she herself spent more energy on her own family than on God’s affairs. So she decided to devote more financial resources.
H. stated that she hadn’t made much money recently, therefore she was worried when she was invited to donate 100 yuan to the missionaries. But after hearing the missionary woman say, “Don’t just pursue fixed wages, but rather eternal investment,” her confidence was strengthened to support her and she said, “I thank the Lord for a change in my values.”
Original article: Chinese Female Missionary’s Practice on “a Kernel of Wheat” Overseas, China Christian Daily.
Edited and reposted with permission.
Image credit: JuniperPhoton on Unsplash.
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