She pronounced it “Hi Ree,” but when she spelled it, it was definitely H-A-I-R-Y. Sydney and Cozy looked at each other and tried not to giggle. Sydney asked, “Umm, that’s a unique name, did you choose it yourself?”
Hairy had chosen it because it sounded a lot like her Asian name. Sydney had never before suggested that a friend change her English name – even with friends with names like Apple, Orange, and September — but this time she felt the need to intervene: “How about ‘Hailey’? It’s very similar, but it’s a much better name for a girl!”
Sydney, Cozy, and the newly-named Hailey sat down to play cards together. Out of nowhere, Hailey asked her new foreign friends, “Do you believe in God?” They soon discovered that their brand-new friend Hailey had just prayed to become a Christian a few days earlier! Sydney and Cozy were amazed! But then they found out HOW she had joined the family: another Asian girl, Echo, had shared her faith with Hailey, and now she believed in Jesus!
Echo’s story was amazing – she had met a Christian girl at an English Corner who invited her to a Christmas party where Echo heard the Gospel for the first time. At first, she didn’t believe any of it. But a couple years later, Echo reached a point in her life where she begin to wonder what she believed, and she remembered what the girl had told her about Jesus.
This took Echo on a search where she soon came to believe in Jesus for herself! Not only did she become a Christian, she now has a passion to share her faith with as many people as she can! Echo is not a student any more, but she attends English Corners so she can meet students. If they seem interested in her faith, she meets with them later on during the week. It sounds exactly like what we do!
It was like God gave us a glimpse of the future – what could happen with our friends when they finally believe and then catch a passion to spread their faith to other students on their campus! We spend so much time meeting friends at English Corners and trying to meet with the ones who seem interested in Jesus. Every year we hold Christmas parties and share the Gospel with dozens of friends, but some just never seem interested. We don’t always get to see tangible results of our ministry, but we still have to trust that God is working in friends’ hearts.
I’m reminded that the seeds we sow are not in vain! Every English Corner, every Christmas party, and every meal with a friend is a chance to plant another seed. Even though I don’t always get to see fruit right away, I can trust He is doing a good work!
Thanks for sowing with me through your prayers and financial support. We don’t get to see all the results yet, but we really are making an impact on lives for eternity!