Did you hear the one about the American lady and the South Korean man that met in a hotel lobby in the middle of a predominantly Buddhist country in SE Asia? That may sound like start of a bad joke, but the reality is it’s a beautiful picture of obedience to Christ.

Last month, I had the privilege of traveling with our Mission pastor, Rodney Howell, to visit 121’s Deb, in the country where she is serving. This was my second trip in as many years to the SE Asia area, to provide missionary care to those 121 has sent out to serve. Just like last year when I was able to visit Bryan and Leslie in the country where they are serving, I found myself coming away from my visit with Deb infinitely more blessed by all the wonderful things I witnessed God doing in her, than I ever could have imagined.

The day Rodney and I arrived in-country about 11:00 am, Deb met us at the airport. Our flight from Thailand to the country in which Deb serves had departed early that morning, so we were more than a little tired. We were looking forward to relaxing and getting settled into our hotel. However, Deb had other plans in mind. Later that afternoon, we were to get back on an airplane and fly out again, heading up-country to visit the areas in which the people group she is focusing on primarily live.

In her country, there are literally hundreds of different people groups, each with different languages, different ways of dressing, and different customs and traditions. To better reach the country as a whole, different missionaries focus on specific people groups. Often times, this is done through outreach efforts such as teaching English.

Generally speaking, locals in SE Asia place a very high value on relationships. Time and schedules are not nearly as important to them as they are to those in America. Because relationships are so important, targeting a specific people group allows the missionaries to build deep friendships and authentic relationships among the group, rather than having casual contact with many different people.

So that afternoon, after a quick lunch in the capital city where we landed, the three of us took off for our one-hour flight up north. After landing, Deb negotiated in the local language for a taxi to the town where we were staying that evening, which was about an hour away. Some of us were a little more tired than others.

Once we arrived in town and checked into our hotel, I walked down to the center of town with Deb where the local bazaar was located. I had made the unfortunate miscalculation of not bringing a jacket with me, not having planned on traveling to a higher elevation where the temperature would drop into the 50s at night (the average high temperature this time of year in the capital city is 85-95 degrees, with lows in the lower 80s). It took us 5 or 6 shops before we found one with jackets big enough for me, as the average local man there probably weighs 30-40 pounds less than the average American. However, I eventually scored a sweet “Adidas” jacket, with matching pants, and was good to go!

That evening, we got to enjoy an authentic Chinese meal with Deb and three of her friends she had made there in town during a previous visit. Being close to China, the country in which she’s working has many people of Chinese-descent living there, so getting “real” Chinese food isn’t too hard. We ended up eating at an outdoor market where many different vendors have tables with little plastic stools set up in front of propane stoves on which they cook your food. It’s a really neat atmosphere, as all the electricity comes from generators, necessitating mood lighting (read, Christmas lights hung everywhere).

This was truly a local place, as none of the vendors spoke English. Fortunately, Deb’s friends helped us out by ordering for us. I ended up with something similar to what we know in the U.S. as won-ton soup. It was delicious enough for a second bowl! Rodney and Deb both enjoyed a dish of compressed cold rice as a base, with pieces of fish and vegetables on top. I took a few polite bites of that one, and then concentrated on my soup!

That night, in spite of the lack of a heater in our room (who knew it would be so chilly??) we all slept soundly with our extra blankets the hotel was kind enough to provide.

The next morning, I awoke and headed downstairs to meet Rodney and Deb for a quick breakfast of bread, jam, and a hard-boiled egg. As I reached the landing of the stairs, I saw the American lady (Deb) and the South Korean man (whose name I don’t know), engaged in conversation. The amazing thing about it to me was the fact neither was speaking his or her native language. Rather, both were speaking a common, third language, that of the country in which we were traveling.

As Deb and the South Korean man continued to talk, they eventually figured out they were both in the country for the same purpose: to share the peace and love of Christ with a people who desperately need it. How wonderful it was to see this man and woman of God speaking a common tongue, which they had labored to learn solely for the cause of Christ!

Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” What a joy it was for me to get to see two very different people from two very different parts of the world, speaking in a common language about the common cause of Christ!

What the Bible says about “the harvest being plenty, but the workers being few” is true. Please continue to pray for Deb, for the South Korean man, and for all the others serving in that country in SE Asia, intent on bringing Christ to the nation.

::Greg Wells