South Asia: Working in darkness

I am currently learning a lot about the power of the Holy Spirit. South Asia is immersed in darkness and depravity.

There is so much poverty and spiritual needs. I find my heart is heavy and overwhelmed by the utter darkness. Honestly, there is so much work to be done here in South Asia. However, I am learning a lot about the work that God is doing. This summer, I have had the privilege to use my gifts of media to document the different avenues of the Father’s work. I am amazed at the different strategies and approaches God uses.

Strategic training event

A few weeks ago, I documented very strategic training events that disciple new national believers, teaching them to become evangelistic leaders in their own community. These leaders then start churches across their communities. God has used this training to multiply the number of house churches in this area. It is compelling to see the Father work in mighty ways.

Even though these national believers experience persecution on a daily basis, they still desire to learn and plant churches. The passion and the strength in the Apostle Paul’s letters have become so real to me in the last few weeks through these training events. The national believers’ passion to share the message has ignited an extreme thirst for Jesus Christ within me.

I have traveled to a team working an orphanage. This orphanage really does take James 1:27 to heart. Full of children who are abandoned, abused and beaten, I was overwhelmed by the love and care t bestowed upon them.

Children full of joy

Surprisingly, the most heart-wrenching part was not the children’s lack of parents; it was the children’s love for Jesus greater than I will ever know. Despite their neglected past, the gospel has restored them to children full of joy and praise.

I also have been blessed to document various teams doing water filtration and water-pump restoration project through NGOs. This team is able to trek to various villages assessing water needs and then share the truth of the gospel in villages with people who literally had never heard the name of Jesus. I was amazed to see the work that has been done through these projects. Jesus is using water projects to bring the truth of the Living Water (John 4:10).

I am uplifted by the power of the Holy Spirit. I am learning how the Father stands ready to allocate his power, through the Holy Spirit, to all who are radically dependent on him and radically devoted to making much of him. God already is present in this dark area of the world.

Dangerous situations

There will be many dangerous situations this summer for me; however, when we risk our lives to spread the Father’s love, we discover the safety and security that is only found in his sovereignty. God is working in strong ways here in South Asia. Let’s continue to join together in this momentum of the Holy Spirit.

Rebecca, a student at the University of Texas in Austin, is serving with Go Now Missions in South Asia. Her last name is withheld for security reasons.