Life has a funny way of surprising you sometimes. When I first came to H-town nearly a year ago, I knew that my purpose was language-study. I planned to go to class, study hard and move on to whatever God had for me next. I never thought that I would become friends with my classmates-students of all ages from all around the world. And I especially never thought God would use me to touch their lives in powerful ways.
One of the best friends I have made this year is Kinga. She is from Hungary. We got to know each other a little the first semester, but it was definitely after we started the second semester that we became close. I have had a few chances to share with her about what I believe and they have always come naturally, never forced, just a result of sharing life together. But last night God gave me an amazing opportunity to share with her in a powerful way my relationship with Him.

The two of us, along with one of our close Korean friends were standing on the roof of her dorm watching the sun set and God really pressed on my heart to go deeper with them. It was really a moving time in which we all shared tears, hugs, and more importantly I got to share the love of the Father with them. During that time Kinga really opened up about her past and how she never believed in God before coming to Asia. But as she looked back on her year in H-town, she realized that one of the most important things she received from this experience was the realization that God is real.

Today as we met for at the school I gave her my English Bible and marked a few of my favorite parts for her to read. Even though she hasn’t made a decision yet, I know that her heart is searching and seeking after Him and I am so blessed that God allowed me to be a part of her growing closer to Him.

As I reflect on my year, there are times when I question: “was it worth it?” The struggle of moving to a new city, the stress of studying, the pain of being refined, was it all worth it? Standing on the roof last night, I finally knew without a doubt, that it was worth it all.
McDoogle

In Christ,

Simba

” How can we have a pure heart?” I asked. “It seems like, no matter
how many good things I do, I can’t erase the fact that I’ve lied,
or stolen, or cheated. The bad things still remain. So, how can I
be made pure? How can I really have a beautiful heart??”

Then my new friend Judy exclaimed, “I don’t know! It’s
impossible!!” As soon as she said that, I felt really encouraged.
“It IS impossible,” I said. “It is impossible to do this on my own.
But there is a way. There is one person who can forgive and erase
all the impure things from my heart.” And then I got to share with
them about who Jesus is and about his great love for us.

I would appreciate prayer for the effectiveness of these parties,
that the truth would go forward and put hunger in girls’ hearts,
specifically for these girls: Judy, Yu Ting, Allison, Jia Lan,
Emma, Xiong Yin, Daphne, and Debbi.

We’re also having a Gospel sharing party soon.
Please ask God that the right people would come and that their
hearts would be opened to the saving power of Christ!

Thank you to everyone who has been interceding for me and for the
work here. Your prayers mean so much to me, and to the girls. I
can’t thank you enough! Day by day, God works to restore his
daughters to his side. He hears us and he uses us! Don’t forget
it!!

To win for the Lamb,
Autumn

Hey all – I want to thank you guys for your faithful prayers for me, the team, CT, and Asia so far this year. We have final exams this week and then are finished with our first semester of language study!

   OPPORTUNITY has been a theme for me recently, enough to make just going out the door in the morning exciting. I feel like anything can happen when you’re following the Holy Spirit’s lead…   

To illustrate, I’m in the process of making a very important decision right now about continuing to study at my current university or going a more independent route with the help of some other Missionaries here who have developed a curriculum focused on speaking (as opposed to testing, which is how universities teach). Friday was the last day of class for this term, and I wasn’t planning on going because one of my classes had been cancelled and the other was optional review time. But that morning, I sensed the Lord saying, “Go to class.” My answer was basically, “Why not?” haha. So I bundled up and walked to campus with His praises on my lips.

   I walked in and, not unexpectedly, found Professor Wang (a young male teacher I have really enjoyed having this semester and who knows I am a believer) and just one student, a Korean girl. Next thing I knew, out of the blue, he was writing the characters for “devout Christian” on the board!! This lead to about a half-hour discussion where I got to share in depth about Dad’s love and grace. Though the words weren’t coming as fluidly as some other times I have shared, I know full well that, as Paul told the Corinthians, “It is NOT with wise or persuasive words” that the Kingdom advances and lives are saved. I know Dad was speaking to both of them, which gives me great joy, and then He added this unexpected bonus ———-

    Professor Wang has been on my heart a lot recently, but he had been looking for work elsewhere, and I was expecting to probably never see him again after exams. Over the course of the semester, we’ve become pretty good friends and have a lot in common. On Friday he told us he just decided to continue teaching here at this university and that even if I’m not studying at the university, he wants to continue hanging out and even proposed that he would teach me individually if I’ll teach him some English! We don’t usually pursue this sort of thing due to our language covenant, but I feel in this instance, it’s of the Lord and has huge potential. Professor Wang is a great teacher, passionate about life, caring, and also curious about truth – if God gets a hold of him……..watch out!

   Things like this help me remember that He’s always in control, He always wants to b1ess us with a spectrum of gifts, and He’ll always use us if we will just listen and obey. All praises to our GOD and KING. Happy 2011!

Clive

We ended the night by singing Christmas carols and then going around the room and sharing a story about the greatest gift we have ever received.  The first person to share was an Asian friend named Gabriella.  Without hesitation, she began to testify about how her relationship with God is her most precious gift.  Listening to her testify to a room of strangers was beyond encouraging and exciting.  From there, the rest of us got to share about tangible gifts, as well as testifying more about Jesus. And finally, to end the night, we all read the Christmas story from the Bible.  Reading the story of the birth of Jesus with a room full of friends was a great reminder for the reason that I am celebrating this Christmas.  It is all about Him!

I also had a great opportunity a couple weeks ago to spend some one-on-one time with my friend Jing Wen (Lydia).  After our tutoring session, I invited her over to my apartment to teach her how to cook banana bread.  As we were waiting for the bread to bake, she began to ask me some questions about religion and Christianity in America.  As I answered her questions, she told me how she has some beliefs but she wants to study more about the Bible.  As she continued to ask her questions, God gave me supernatural grace to share the Gospel with her.  All in the language I’m studying!  It was the first time that I sat down with an Asian friend and shared the Gospel without one word of English.  This is why God has called me to language study!  He is enabling me to do this.  It is all Him! Praise Him!

Thanks so much for all your love & prayers!  Merry Christmas to you and your family.  May this season be all for Him and His glory!

Love,

Amilah

   This party was different in a few ways from the last few years over here. One, it was smaller and more intimate, and I felt that each one who came was touched in a deeper way than some of our 30-50 person parties in the past.

Two, most everything was done in the local language, and it was truly amazing to see how far God has brought us in a few short months! Now, make no mistake, we’re still far from fluent in this language (those of you who’ve studied a language know what a huge thing it is to tackle), yet every one of us now has relationships that have been built using the native language and every one of us was able to share last night what is the greatest gift we’ve ever received.

HIS testim0nies burst forth, beginning with McDoogle’s friend Gabriella who shared with everyone about Jesus’ love. I was able to express much of my heart in saying how the Lord’s love is limitless and that He sustains me on a daily basis. To cap the night off, we read together out of our Bibles the prophecy in Isaiah and Matthew’s account of Christmas Day. Things that used to look like little scribbles (the language we’re learning this year) have now taken on meaning and purpose and are at our disposal for Dad’s glory! As our guests left, I could tell they had encountered something fresh and memorable, and my heart was filled with the joy and satistaction that ONLY He can give. Glorry to God in the highest!

   As I thought of the great gifts I have received in my life, I also thought of you, and how I’m so b1essed by each one of you. I would say that other than Christ, you, as His body, and your prayers are my greatest gift this season. Thank you.

Clive

That night, he asked me two big questions.  One was, “What is grace?”  The second one was, “What is sin?”  Before the night was over, we especially talked about Paul’s “wretched man” writings.   

Please join me in thanking God for this opportunity!   Also, please ask Him to grow the seed that has been planted unto multiplication.  I am also praising God for a great day off from school last Wednesday. 

His kingdom come !  

Simba

Picture 60 people crowded in my medium sized living room, standing shoulder to shoulder, eating mini sandwiches and celery sticks with peanut butter. I found myself squeezing by each body transporting bags and coats and throwing them on my bed.

“Hey, did you get something to drink?”

“Hey, welcome! Glad you could come!”

I exclaimed my enthusiasm as people continued to come through the door for an hour. Two hours passed by the time we started our first game, and at this point, all of my team was curious of how it was really going to come together with so many people. Then, my leader Sonny stood up on a chair and began.

There was only room enough for 60 butt-sized spots on the floor where each young person sat. I, being one of them, scanned my eyes through the crowd sitting down and saw curious eyes gazing up at a man standing 6 feet tall. Sonny began to share the tradition of Christmas and why it’s so important, which led into the entire gospel message. Soon after, Jimmy shared his heartfelt testimony of what God has done in his life. The whole time everyone was quiet, intently listening and fully engaged to the emotion and importance of the story. I was in awe of the crowd’s attention level. In the past, it’s been hard to engage that many people’s attention at our Christmas parties, but I witnessed the Holy Spirit move in such a way that captured people’s hearts by the truth and weight of the story.

I’ve met with a couple this past week that were at the party and they have each said that to hear Sonny and Jimmy sharing was moving and they were touched by what they said.

The excitement I get from this is that before the party, my team took some time to pray and we heard the Lord say to us that it doesn’t matter about the preparations, and how well we speak or even lead games, it’s about MY word, and what I AM going to do in people’s hearts. That is the very thing I saw that night! The games, the singing, the food, it all was fun, but nothing compared to His word being shared. The Lord revealed Himself to 60 people that night. 60 people got to hear the truth, and the power of His salvation. I trust that Holy Spirit is stirring in many people’s hearts at this very moment saying to them “seek and you will find!” I’m looking forward to setting up more Bible studies with those very people.

“Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.” Is.45:23-24

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I wanted to tell you that my team and I have been praying for our campus and the Lord has been speaking to us about investing in the few to reach the many. These past few months God has been making a way for that. He’s been placing specific people in our path who are hungry, curious, and wanting a deep understanding of truth. Looking back, I’m reminded of his faithfulness, and the privilege of being a worker for His kingdom in this way. So I just wanted to express my gratefulness to Him and to you for your support all these years to help continue that work. I’m excited for what he has for us next year! Love you all!

“I too believe there is a God,” stated my brand new friend, Neria. “I am very interest in spiritual things. I have heard there is a place in India where they can tell your future, just by looking at your finger prints. I would like to go there and experience this….”

I wondered, “Are we even talking about the same God? Oh dear…”

“Why do you want to know your future?” asked my roommate Elf.

“Because I believe that if they tell me my future, and it comes true, then I will know there is a God.”

“Oooh,” I said, as the Holy Spirit was flooding my mind with the possibilities. “Well I believe that God is real…. If you really want to know if He is real, I think you just need to ask Him to show you for sure, and He will do it.”

Just a few nights ago I received this text from her, “I think I heard the answer because just now a sign has been brought to me. Now I am certain about the way I should go. Now I have figured out, and I need to make a choice by asking my heart and live as an independent person in this world…. I will be a person like you. God bless you.”

I haven’t seen her since she sent it, but I am so excited to hear about what the sign was! Please pray for her this week.

On a personal note, we are pretty much completely settled in a beautiful apartment—on the 33rd floor! I’ve been trying to do little things to make it feel more homey, like getting pictures of friends and family printed and hanging them all over my room. Just this afternoon a bought two small potted plants, and keeping them alive has been added to my goals for the year.

My health has been getting better, thank you so much for your prayers. Some mornings I am still having difficulties, but it is much better than it was.

“God, I am wiped out. You said in my weakness you would be strong—so I’m assuming you’re going to be pretty strong in this meeting, because I just don’t have anything tonight,” I muttered in my mind as I walked against the flow of hundreds of students as the flowed off of campus to eat dinner at various local shops.

“You are a Christian, yes? I have been wanting to ask this question, do you think that God created the earth?”

Less than 30 minutes later the reality of the opportunity to share about my faith floods my mind, and adrenaline starts to flow. I start with Adam and Eve, and encouraged by the girls on either side leaning in to catch each detail, I share the entire gospel over the course of our dinner. Caroline on my left, is hanging on every word. You can read the heaviness on her face as I describe the heartbreak of the first sin and our separation from God. As I describe Jesus’ death as he paid our debt her eyes moisten. My heart is pounding as I describe his return to life, and a smile breaks across her face. “Ooh,” softly escapes her lips as I tell her that now we are able to once again be in close relationship with God if we will choose to believe in Him.

I had heard the stories, but now I have lived it. The people here are hungry for truth. Please pray for my friends as we continue to share truth and hope with them.

Their names* are: Tina, Nancy, Caroline, Sally, June, Leah, Elaine, Casey, Shining, Kayla, Jubilee, and Sheny. And also the “sisters” who believed last year: Nancy, Julie, Ling, and NumberTwo.

Please also pray for me, as my asthma has been aggravated by a cold and the air here.

Thank you so much for your “thoughts,”
Marian

*Actual names not given for security reasons.