A Life-Changing Path

‘D', ASM 2008-09. Posted on 8 May 2009.

It was in 2005, in Cape Town, South Africa, that I first heard of Antioch Missions-Chinese Church Support Ministries.

Our church meeting that morning had a short ‘missions-slot', in which Richard and Bernice Anderson, the South African base directors, gave a presentation on China, her need for prayer and the upcoming short-term teams that were going there. Their presentation climaxed in the question to the prophet Isaiah, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" It sank into my subconscious and over the next few days resurfaced at odd moments in my thoughts. After I had contributed to someone's team expenses, Richard and Bernice met with me and urged me to attend a local monthly prayer meeting for China. It was here that I encountered other like-minded believers who are deeply committed to helping voice the silent cry of the persecuted Christians of China and to bringing the Gospel to the unreached people groups.

I can't say exactly when God started a yearning in my heart to go, but one day I volunteered for the courier team that would visit China the following July/August. It was at one of the prayer meetings that I met ‘F', who was to become a friend, a comrade, a travelling companion and fellow ‘donkey for Jesus' in July 2006.

 

Be warned: the courier team isn't for the armchair athlete or couch potato! It requires a certain level of fitness and strength to lug around heavy bags filled with Bibles and other Christian literature; to load them onto trains and unload them again, all the while giving the appearance to onlookers that the baggage is much lighter in weight! We were amazed and humbled at how God led us, blinding the eyes of airport officials, preventing scanners from reading accurately and on one occasion sending an angel (I believe) to help me out of a tight spot, which could have led to my luggage being searched. It was a time of exhilaration interspaced by lengthy periods of boredom, riding trains and waiting. We learned about each other and why we were there. The team was comprised of people from six nations, bonded by a common purpose and a unity in serving the Lord.

 

And so China entered my blood and in July 2007 I was excited to be part of the first intercessory trekking team. Our purpose was to visit an unreached people group, located in an area that for centuries has been in spiritual darkness, and intercede for them in prayer. Assisted by local guides, we travelled into the foothills with seven packhorses, following a trail that took us close to several villages. Our prayerfulness and friendliness towards our guides impressed them and they responded well to us. Dwarfed by majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery, we were awed again by God at work. Our horsemen dreamed dreams, which they wanted interpreted. That opened the way for the Chinese speakers in our team to reveal the handiwork of God and how He speaks through His Word.

It was while setting up our tent in this rocky wilderness that I felt God was calling me to a deeper commitment and spoke to our team leader about this. He prayed with me, asking God to either remove this desire (if it were not of Him) or to cause it to become a raging fire. I believe the furnace was kindled that day.

I returned home at the end of that trip, already pondering on the practicalities of living in China. I prayed intensely and extensively as to whether God was leading me to attend the Antioch School of Missions' course in China. After much discussion with the South African base directors, who encouraged me, supported me and ensured that I was aware of the realities, we started the paperwork. My pastors and mission committee at the local church were behind me and assisted me in setting up a support base and raising sponsorship.

Arriving in China with only 20kgs of luggage for an entire year was daunting. What to bring? What to leave? The first week was a blur as we moved into our apartment, received an orientation pack, tried to find the nearest supermarket, and started our language study and the ASM course. Over the next three months we had various visiting speakers present subject matter to us that was designed (and learned by experience) to equip us for intercultural living. Part of that training was to provide us with the wisdom and grace needed to co-exist with our fellow students and to prepare us for spiritual warfare, to recognise the forms of attack the enemy may use, and to stand!

Language school was another hurdle, but a necessary one for learning to communicate with our Chinese brothers and sisters, to reach them on their territory. Hand-in-glove with language is the culture, learning their customs and traditions to build bridges for them to find the Truth.

One of the more difficult things I encountered on ASM was finding a renewed sense of my identity, far away from those who know me. As a character building trait, it has taught me a growing dependence on God, and that my identity and purpose lie in Him alone, not in my background or past experiences.

As I write, I am uncertain as to where my future direction lies, but I am certain of one thing: I can trust in His provision, and need to wait on Him (Psalm 37:7).

ASM is not an undertaking to be taken lightly. It has been life-changing and, like any period of growth, at times it has been painful. But there is no safer place in the entire universe than where God wants you to be. We need to count the cost (Luke 14:28), to get good counsel from the wise, from our pastors and from the Word. But if you feel that God has placed a burden on your heart for the Chinese people, then pray for guidance, seek counsel... and go. You won't regret it!

What other ASM students have to say:

"What a challenging and stretching time it was! I loved it and would do it again at the drop of the hat." - ‘B'

"These three months have been a positive period of ‘stretching' for me in all areas of my life (family, study, new friendships, new culture/language, and definitely, in my walk with the Lord)." - ‘S'

"I have liked most being ‘sharpened' by all the different people throughout the ASM. There is definitely a rich variety of personalities, giftings and passions amongst the teachers and students alike. I have learned from and caught on to priceless things from all these people." - ‘K'

"I've learned that I need to be a life-long learner of the Chinese culture and that there is much more I need to learn. I need to be open and vulnerable to others in order to really study the culture with respect, and to be able to truly communicate the Gospel." - ‘J'

"This course has been so good as an introduction to work on the field." - ‘L'