Jul 12, 2023 Showing the Love of Jesus in the 10/40 Window
“Are you willing to go to the unreached in the 10/40 window?” my university principal asked. I was working as a teacher and researcher at a Christian university. I felt impressed, and I told him I’d pray about it.
QHM gospel worker, Luke* shares his experience of how he was called to international mission:
I grew up in a Seventh-day Adventist family, and when I was younger, had dreamed of one day becoming a medical missionary. I had served on short mission trips before, maybe one or two weeks, but never as a full-time missionary.
Some time passed after my principal’s question, and the SDA mission campaign “I Will Go” was introduced. Our church had guest speakers who shared about what was happening in the mission field, challenges, and needs especially in closed countries. I felt deeply moved as I stood, along with others, answering God’s call to go wherever He wanted us to. I prayed silently, “Okay, God, I’m in Your hands.”
After expressing my willingness to serve in the mission field, I was whisked away by the church! I felt so unprepared for my mission. I experienced a lot of cross-cultural challenges and culture shock. Language was one of the biggest challenges. I had to improve my English but also the language of the closed country where I was placed. But God is merciful, and I believe that if He calls, He will equip us. Through the challenges, I held onto God, knowing He called me.
Again and again, since I answered His call, I have seen the Lord connect me with so many resources, tools, and most of all, people. Although the region where I serve is closed to Christianity, the culture is so welcoming. The other Christians we’ve met serving here have included us as part of their own family, knowing we have the same mission of sharing Jesus. Sometimes it feels the ways we can share are limited, but we always pray God’s love shines through our friendships.
When I answered God’s call to serve, I thought I would be changing others—but now I’ve realized that I was the one that would be taught by God. I’ve been serving more than seven years, and in the process, God is transforming my character.
I’ve realized the actual “ministry” happens through building friendships. To protect our work, I won’t share about specifics. But I get to meet with people when they come to our office, and when I visit in homes. It’s wonderful to see how God has been at work even before I arrived.
In this country, most people have never met a Christian. As we build friendships, people have gotten to know who Jesus really is. Some already knew about Christianity intellectually, or even acknowledge Jesus as a teacher, but I praise God they can see what it means to truly follow Christ in our lives.
One man shared with us, “You are the first Christian that I have ever met, who is not drinking alcohol, who is faithful to his family, and that is devoted to God. I see you’re not eating unclean foods, and you are truly faithful in your religion. I didn’t know that there were Christians who also believed there was a special day for worship, Sabbath.”
Our ministry goal is to make Christ’s character known through how we work and our friendships. They can see that we are not coming to “sell” or push a religion, but that we want to sincerely help and benefit their lives. We pray every day that we can show the love of Jesus—maybe in ways they’ve never seen His love before. So, praise God for opening the door to build friendships.
Every chance I get, I try to have spiritual conversations. I don’t force or push the topics, but I’m sure the Holy Spirit is inspiring. As we increase the connections, and build relationships, we are seeing God inspiring faith and new perspectives about Jesus.
Praise God, today it’s not only the families we are directly serving, but more than 20 families in the community that have opened up to us through friendship. Please pray for us, that the Lord would keep giving us opportunities to share Him and show His great love.
Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
Will you pray for Luke* and other QHM gospel workers who are sharing Jesus in Closed Countries? Please pray for their safety, and that the Holy Spirit would soften hearts as they share Jesus.
*Names changed for protection