Dear Prayer Supporters of my mission trip,

I am here in Singapore Changi airport transiting (for 13 hours!) on my way to Kathmandu. Please allow me to tell you a story from my memory. 20 some years ago, I was alone in one of the janky “international” airports in Africa somewhere (I think it was Nairobi but not sure) waiting for many hours for my next connection to a mission trip destination, just like what I am doing now. I do remember vividly two things: the smell from the doorless bathroom next to us and the noise of jet engine coming from tarmac through a broken windowpane. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with an elderly missionary I just met. He was from U.K., doing exactly the same thing as I was. We both were pretty tired and could use some encouragement. I remember the moment when he put his arm over my shoulder saying, “This (mission work) is a young man’s game.” I felt weird hearing that because I was in my 50’s then already. Today, I don’t even have anyone to converse (no smell or noise either, thank God) but am feeling the same sentiment as the old missionary did then: this is definitely a young man’s game!

I have to admit that as I am heading to the site, I am filled with anxiety and worries. First, I really wish all the people who are invited will show up on time. I know there could be many ways the Satan can work to prevent them from coming. Would they all be there? Second, after so much time and effort of preparing for these seminars, there still are number of items that must work perfectly to make it worthwhile for the participants coming. These days, almost everything I prepared are in this tiny computer. I have 1700 slides to show using this computer and the on-site projector. The audio system must work for all multi-media contents. Would the electricity be there reliably for them to work? I would like to ask you today to pray with me for these things so that I can have peace and confidence that what God intended for them to hear will be heard properly.

I would also like to ask for your prayers for my wife Jane at home. She developed severe shoulder pain mysteriously last week and was seeing a specialist today. It seems that our enemies have noticed this small trip and consider it not negligible enough to let it go on smoothly.

In moments like this, I have this thought that always works for putting my mind back into the right perspective. Consider what Apostle Paul had to do to go from town to town, country to country, continent to continent, usually escaping from mob who were viciously coming after his life, just for preaching the gospel. I happened to have a pretty detail information of his itinerary and circumstances as part of my seminar. Now, he couldn’t then count on these things as Boeing, iPhone or Kirkland beef jerky in my backpack or the ice cream shop around corner in this terminal—none of these. Then, look at where the gospel are in the world today resulting from his sacrifice. My point is that there is absolutely no comparison of hardship of mine to Paul and numerous others who walked this path before me—zero chance. Yet, this battle must go on with whoever’s showing up to resupply the front line, regardless of young or old, weary or not, big sacrifice or small, and with whatever stock they can bring. So, here I come, ready to tell the frontline soldiers in Nepal all about “the full armor of God”. (Eph. 6:10-18)

Marching On for His Glory,
Jay

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