NOT IN AN INSTANT

Southeast Asia has been my home now for just over four months. Language study and teaching English takes a majority of my time. Teaching English at a private school provides me with a business visa. Many people here long to learn English, which allows many opportunities for relationship building and ministry. For ministry, I teach English and Bible stories in a home and at a Buddhist monastery.

Even though I have lived in a handful of other countries, this one is by far the most complex and unique to describe. In ways, living in this country has been easier than other places. In other ways it is harder, mostly because communication with the outside world and even within the country is horrible. Most people do not have a telephone. If you do have a telephone, it may work some days and it may not the other days. To call the U.S. costs $7 per minute and Internet access is also difficult. This is a wonderful place, though, with such ethnic diversity and a welcoming, hospitable attitude. The people are focused more on family and friends than on tasks and work. They give of their time and money like they have a never-ending supply.

When moving to a new place and culture, there is always a wave of emotions that a person goes through. Despite loving so many things about my new home, there are moments of wondering what a single girl from the U.S. can possibly accomplish in such a different culture and in a different language. I don't know enough of their language to fully present Christ and most of the people who have English only have broken English. Realizing that it will take years to speak fluently is when the task before me seems so overwhelming and I wonder if I will ever make an impact.

Soon after arriving here, I received an email that has continued to encourage me when I look at the long road ahead of me. The email commented on a fellow worker in ministry that felt guilty because he had not seen anyone accept Christ in his first seven years. On paper, the man did everything right but he was in a very difficult place. He had wanted to quit at times but he stuck it out and after the one person became a believer, many more followed. Here are excerpts from that email.

As I thought about my friend's seven years of little visible response, I was reminded of many places where we left the work before we ever got to seven years or before we had the believers and churches we hoped for. Yes, there are many places where we have seen breakthroughs within a short period of time and we want to expect that but we should not give up if it doesn't happen. Sometimes it takes years before we see the harvest fully mature and ready.

Seven years is an interesting segment of time. That is how long it takes your body to completely replace all your brain cells. A few years ago, seven years was the average length of service for long-term people in our vocation. How many apostles never see the harvest they hope for because they do not stay long enough?

William Carey worked hard in India for seven years before he saw a single Indian come to Christ. Adoniram Judson moved to Burma where he preached for years without any visible openness from the people. He eventually learned to present the gospel in a more contextual manner before seeing someone accept Christ around the seven year mark. Today, over two million people in Burma claim the name of Christ because of the foundation he laid. Robert Morrison, the first protestant to go to China labored for seven years without a single convert. Of course, we can see today some of the fruit of his labor in the 80 million believers among a people who first received the Bible due to his efforts.

Our "instant" American culture trains us to be impatient and can disqualify us from fulfilling our part in God's purpose to bring the gospel to the nations. We like food that takes 90 seconds to heat. We watch hours of television shows where problems are fixed or forgotten within 30 or 60 minute segments. We upgrade our computers because it takes an extra minute to boot up. Quite a few will never read this sentence because it took more than 20 seconds to read down this far.

My prayer is that I have the faith to expect great and mighty things from God. At the same time, my prayer is for patience while waiting for God's timing and not my own. And no matter the circumstances and disappointments, I pray I would be faithful to the work that God has asked me to do.

Thank you, 121, for your amazing support! I have been so blessed in my four months overseas by emails, letters, gifts, and prayers! If you would like to receive my email updates and support me in prayer, please email deborah@pobox.com.

::Deborah

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