Just a few days ago I was sharing a few prayer requests with our dedicated team of intercessors.

In the process I mentioned a prayer need for the nation because of the trauma that has been experienced over the past four or five decades. This trauma still has a grip and is being passed on to the next generation. In response, Kim Zeola, our friend and SoZo mentor, mentioned a few tools available for ministering to people who have experienced trauma. I commented that many of my resources and tools are still on the shipping container filled with our supplies in Pittsburgh (which has since been shipped), but Mark Geppert made a very direct and powerful statement. He said “Dan, you are the container.” This is a statement that each of us, as sons and daughters of God, should be chewing on and digesting daily. It lines up with what God has been teaching me for many years. It is what you carry of the kingdom of God inside. What we carry is Jesus, our living hope. He is enough to bring God's kingdom and His goodness into any situation in which we may find ourselves. It does not matter if it is within a household, a community, or a nation—we are called to have an impact on every place and circumstance we touch.

What God has placed in you is enough to bring divine change. Christ is in you and He is the hope of glory. Jesus is enough. He calls us ambassadors of reconciliation. We are ambassadors in walking embassies. This gives us the ability to have sustained, strategic impact.

This is more than just bringing our natural talents and gifting to a task. It is giving the God of the impossible an opportunity to do what He does. I saw this in a very profound, yet simple way when ZoeAnna and I were preparing to host a group of high school students. I was looking for six bunk beds so the girls did not have to sleep on mats on the floor. I asked several people who all gave me the same answer: there are none in Sisophon. The nearest place to find bunk beds is more than two hours away. I told Zoe that it looked like I would need to make them. I could make them out of metal but I am not the best welder so I decided to make them out of wood. Woodworking has been a part of my life for 4 decades. I purchased and had the wood delivered and began looking for the equipment I needed. I was immediately met with a mountain of obstacles. Every person I asked and every place I went to told me the same thing: “Can’t get in Cambodia”. But I felt that God wanted this thing done. He wanted these girls blessed and me to bless them just as if they were my own daughters. Our co-worker, Veha, and I tried to make what we had work, but it just was not coming together. So one morning I told ZoeAnna that this was an obstacle that only God can move and it had to be moved. So when Veha arrived we prayed that God would remove the obstacle and guide us to the equipment we needed. We prayed that He would show that even if ‘we’ can not get it in Cambodia, He can.After our brief prayer, we jumped into the van and I said, “Veha take me to the first place that comes to your mind to buy equipment.” He drove to a place that repaired fans and small power tools. We walked into the building and immediately saw a bandsaw and surface planner sitting side by side on the floor. Veha and I rejoiced in our great God. When the girls saw their bunk beds they told me that no one had ever made anything for them before. They were touched by the Heart of the Father. So we are the container. When we are undoing the works of the enemy such as the spirit of trauma or the orphan mindset, we are the container.

In Asian culture, hospitality takes precedence over all else. Table manners, even when eating with your fingers, are read and analyzed to reveal your true character. How you hold chopsticks is a sign of not only dexterity, but also rank and position in society. Making your way through a 10 course Chinese meal in the 3 hours allowed, without dropping anything from those sticks is tantamount to cultural acceptance.Grace is given for foreigners.

The Island Club in Singapore is a very prestigious place. The pinnacle of club culture, this sticker cost is over $150,000 per year and the Chinese dining room is known by society around the world. I was shocked when a friend invited our short-term mission team to have lunch with her at that club. Giving the “best behavior” lecture and a short instruction on letting the friend carry the conversation, I was petrified when one of our team members, after chasing an escaped shrimp to the floor, arose with the declaration, “This is the best mission food I have ever eaten.”Silence filled the room.10 courses take a long time. The rice is last, to fill in the cracks, and small portions of each course are to be eaten with conversation filling the space between course deliveries. Timing and pace are controlled by the host with a nod of the head. The guest follows the lead of the host saying, “I will follow you,” when asked what you would like next. There are no seconds and everything is wonderful even if it is marinated sea cucumber.“You don’t need to do that.” The tone was terse and I was stunned.“I’m sorry.” I quickly apologized not knowing what had happened.“We don’t say thank you to the servants. It is not our culture.” I was amazed at how serious she was.“They are just doing their job and do not require thanks with every serving. It is their duty and they are performing it without interaction with the customer. It is a culture norm in everything here.” She had not been offended but felt the need to instruct me.For the 27 years since that lunch I have tried as hard as I can to say “thank you” as often as I can, especially in Singapore. The response has been amazing. From drivers to dentists, bodyguards to parliamentarians, Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Vietnamese, all have appreciated a meeting of the eyes and a thank you. In actual fact the common word for “please” and “thank you” is the same word.

Recognizing even the simplest things a person does for us is a key to seeing ourselves lower than others. It is the mind of Christ that will one day give us the wisdom to solve the problems of nations. It is Jesus in the Upper Room taking up the towel.Ten lepers were healed and only one came back to say thank you. It was to this one that Jesus said, “Your faith has made you whole.” So many of us take the service of others, even a healing touch for granted. We feel that in some way we deserve to be served rather than to serve.

"So Jesus answered and said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?' And He said to him, 'Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.'" - Luke 17:17-19

Windowless frames in the wall allow for half of the classroom be lit by the sun as it works its way slowly up from the shooting rice fields of Cambodia's Beanteay Meanchey province. The light allows the students eyes to easily trace the teacher's complex Khmer script as it flows from his hand in chalk across the blackboard. As the sunlight splits the room, its power begins to draw dark beads of dirt-filled sweat from the hairline of each student it encounters.I watch the kids on the sunny side pick their feet up from the hot earthen floor of the schoolhouse and rest them on the the wooden cross bar stabilizing the two front legs of each desk. The other half, bundled and huddled closely together, seem to wait in rest for the sun to reach their desks.The elderly teacher's hand leaves the board and he turns to face the children. Standing strong yet welcoming, he shares a smile common to the gentle nature of Cambodia and asks the students to read the words he has written on the board. In perfect unison they stand. With as much volume as their little bodies can gather they belt back the response then place their hands together as if to pray. Lifting their prayer-like hands to their mouths they offer a quick quarter bow of respect before they take their seats. It is another simple and beautiful morning in Cambodia.

Awe quickly becomes curiosity in my mind and then moves mightily into inspiration.What did they have for breakfast? Where do they live and how did they get to this school? What do their parents do? What are they learning and how do they assess their success? I have so much. I have computers and phones. I have paper for goodness’ sake! Forget that, I have clean water and I'm sure I can get bars of soap from some hotel or something to give them. My God, there are hundreds, no, thousands of them. I have to talk to somebody and find out more about these children! I have to know who they are and what they want to be.The teacher sees me standing in the window frame. His smile now welcomes me and with the same gesture the children ended their response to him: a bow to offer me respect. All of the children quickly turn to me giggling with hushed remarks to one another about my skin color, nose size, and nationality. I'm now welcomed into their world, and I have no idea what I'm going to do next!South East Asia Prayer Center is now serving all 488 public schools in Banteay Meanchey province and each of the province’s approximately 150,000 students with English studies, STEM-based programs, vocational training, and a Christ-centered pathway for eliminating poverty within this generation. 10 short years ago, when we began working in these schools, just 10 percent of first graders would go on to graduate from high school, with 50 percent dropping out after fourth grade. And children were being thrust into horrible futures within the perpetuous post-war poverty cycle.

My heart beats so hard that I can feel its pressure behind my eyes as I enter the room. "Deep breaths, deep breaths," I tell myself as I turn and look back through the door I just entered, wondering if I just made a mistake. Quickly I give the teacher my hand and meet his eyes, giving an awkward type of bow thing that I think for some reason I should do. I hear giggles. He smiles wide and then I turn back to the students.I know that all success in the spirit realm comes from an atmosphere of praise and worship. I teach this stuff around the world! There is nothing to be afraid or nervous about. Right, these are kids. You'll do fine.The thoughts are so rapid and I'm trying to remember what it is I'm exactly teaching today, and what I should do if they don't like the lesson or me.PRAY! Yes, that's it. I'm going to pray.Then, by the grace of God, I offer a simple prayer, "Jesus please help me!"I feel peace. I feel strength. I'm ready to go."Today, I am going to teach you personal pronouns."I can hear the teacher translate what I said and I can see the students rise in their seats.This is when I know: it's time for the word of God to go forth into the lives of these little ones that He loves so deeply who are emerging now from poverty through Him.

The narrow doorway gave entrance to a banquet hall with a round table set for 10. Our weekend services at 611 Church had been wonderful as the Lord deeply touched hundreds with the message on “where do I fit in?” Hong Kong is a crowded place and this church of thousands is no different. We encourage each new member to join a cell group lest they be lost in the masses.My host and dear friend Joshua Cheung asked me to wait a minute as, with an embarrassed chuckle, the waiter exchanged the normal size Chinese chair for a more-sturdy, heavy, wood one. You see, at events like this, I have difficulty fitting in. It used to be an awkward moment, trying to fit into the shapes and sizes of a different city, church, and culture; but, with years of practice, it has become a point of humor.The seating pattern around the table is determined by the function of the participants. It is given that there are going to be several conversations going on at the same time. Joyful with testimonies of lives changed in their ministry departments, and very happy that all the work of the weekend is finished, the staff sit next to each other and celebrate another week of the goodness of the Lord. Their chatter fills the room.The pastor and his wife sit at 12 o’clock with the guest and translator at the pastor’s right hand. One never sits until the pastor nods his head in approval of seat location. He is the “Father of the Family” in the case of 611 Church as we have all come a long way together and the church is built on relationship. We always wait for the nod. There is a lesson here.

Entering a crowded space with a new culture and language can be very intimidating for people. It is difficult to find a place to fit in. The new school, new office, new family, can be so terrifying that many shy away and never get to enjoy developing friendships. Of course, there is a risk involved in trying to fit in. At one of my first Chinese lunches, again with a pastor—but not Joshua—I dipped my shrimp in the finger bowl. It had a yellow tint and I thought it was some sort of butter dip. After 5 shrimp the Pastor lovingly told me what I was doing.My size is always a point of amazement in Asia. But this is who I am and I fit into my clothes every day, so I have learned to make it a point of humor so we can all laugh together. Of course, I have endured lectures on herbs and diets and can probably write a paper and receive a doctorate on the subject.Offense has to be taken, it cannot stand on its own. When not nurtured, it can blossom into humor and friendship.Intimidated by a life change? I suggest entering quietly, receiving direction or asking for it, taking the lower role until invited to a higher place and most of all, putting the others at ease with a gentle smile and nod. Of course, you are not going to remember all their names and certainly they are checking you out, but relax, everybody at the table has gone through the same process.

Standing on a steep hillside in the village of Damechaur in the center Nepal, I was talking to pastor Dilip Tamang of the Damechaur Salom Church as our medical team was holding a clinic for the village. After the small talk, he said, “Can you help us?” What does it mean to help? The definition for help is to “make it easier for (someone) to do something by offering one's services or resources.” The phrase that kept coming to my mind was “what to do?” The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” What to do? First, pray and then listen for the wise word from the Lord. I heard in my heart, “Ask him.” So, I asked him what they needed help with, and he said, “We have no water and our crops are failing.” He explained to me that the earthquake in 2015 had broken the water line from the spring that feeds the village. Since the earthquake, the women of the village had to walk about five kilometers to get water every morning for their families. When I asked him how much it would cost to fix the problem, he shared that they needed to replace the broken sections of the pipe, and that it would cost about $2,500 USD.

“Ok, God is able,” I thought to myself. Now to the next question of how to help him with feeding the village. He went on to say that if they could raise goats their church and village could make enough money to feed everyone and pay the school fees for the children to go to school. When I asked him “why goats?” he told me that goats would thrive on the hills around his village. One doe can produce up to four gallons of milk a day and they are zero grazing, which means very little land is needed to raise them. Goats provide milk, cheese, butter, and meat that can be sold for income, providing the villages children the opportunity to go to school. Their grazing encourages better crop yields by creating fertilizer and clearing land that the village grows its crops on. So, it is a “win-win” with goats. I knew in my heart that the Lord had brought us to this village for a purpose beyond doing a medical clinic, but to partner with Christian brothers and sisters to help these them to walk in the blessing of the Lord. I told him that we would pray and seek the Lord about how to serve his village. What to do? On the way back to Kathmandu, I talked with our friend and translator, Man Dai. He told me that a goat farm would be the perfect solution to help the village not just survive but thrive. We at SEAPC put the word out through the magazine that we needed funds for repairing the water line and a goat farm and you started to respond. And since then, friends like you have been buying goats. The first goat that was purchased was named Grace.

Currently, we have repaired the water line and the goat farm overseer, Hira Lai Tamang, has built the goat barn and prepared the land for grazing. We have been sending money to buy goats and we currently have 42 goats. We are trusting the Lord for 58 more goats. That might sound like a lot of goats, but the vision is to help this village church and in turn they will tithe to another struggling village church to start their own goat farm. As they prosper, they will help another village church, and so on and so forth.How can you help? You can give a gift of a goat. The price for a single doeling (a young female goat) is $100. The price for goats has gone up in Nepal, and according to the government of Nepal there is a need for 430,000 goats in Nepal. So, we are at a prime time to invest in goats in Nepal. I pray that you will consider helping. Click here to give towards this endeavor.

How excited we are at SEAPC to open our arms to the nation of Japan! For most of us who travel in and out of Asia, Japan is known as the stopover – the two hour transit point – between the USA and our ministry destination. It’s the place where we grab a quick burger (or sushi, of course) and stretch our legs before the final flight of the journey. Each time I travel through Japan, I am amazed at the standard of excellence that greets me. Flights usually depart on the minute. Efficiency is king at every level. Politeness and courtesy are hallmarks. However, I will never forget when the Father spoke clearly to me and said, “Son…You will no longer fly through Japan, but you will fly to Japan.”

The nation that was once my stopover had now become my stop. Japan, a nation that seemed to have it “all together” in my eyes, was now my burning ministry assignment from the Lord. To confirm without a doubt this was His will, God sent a missionary to Japan to my front door in Minnesota that very same day. A faithful and compassionate missionary to the nation, Nathan Michelson, was standing outside my house as I pulled up from a trip to the supermarket. Nathan said to me, “I am on home-assignment this Christmas, and I was praying. The Lord led me to talk to you about Japan.” I was blown away. God had sealed this assignment in me forever.Over the next three years, God opened doors for me to go to Japan and pray, speak, and learn about its people. These were some of the most eye-opening and intense trips I have ever taken. I fell in love with the Japanese people and learned that things were not as “all together” there as I naively thought they were. Every time I went to Japan, I was greeted with genuine kindness and openness from so many. But as I connected on a deeper level with the people, I touched the inward heart of the Japanese rather than the the outward gifts they share with the world so well. For many, under the surface was a deep pain from loneliness, strained marriage, family relationships, and chronic depression. For way too many was the thoughts of suicide, and the effect of suicide in their families. I quickly found out the great longing of the Japanese heart—despite all the outward comforts and prosperity—is for the intimate and unconditional love of God the Father.The heart is something that no amount of technology can fix. The heart is the core of who we are, and no earthly substitutes can ever satisfy its need for unwavering LOVE. In fact, when we continue to try to satisfy it outside the source of love, we are driven into even deeper disappointment. No one can love like our Father. No one can love the Japanese like their Father. Why? Because He is love. He is our roots. He is Japan’s roots. No one loved us before Him, and nobody loves us more. This is the message we take into Japan. This is the message that no amount of affluence can deny. This is the message that warms and awakens the hearts of Japan!

I will never forget an encounter I had on one of my first trips. My hosts took me to a temple outside Osaka. After prayer walking and talking with some of the people visiting the temple, I looked behind the main walkways that surrounded it. I saw a woman laying down on the ground. And as the voices around me grew quieter, I could hear a deep sobbing. Now both of these things—one a posture of laying down and one a sound of distress—are nearly never seen (at least to the public) in Japan. My curiosity took over. I had to see what this was. I quietly walked around behind the woman so she could not see me, and right there before me (behind the public eye) was a tiny “graveyard”. A graveyard filled with hundreds of little headstones. Headstones with the names of aborted babies. This woman had brought a little teddy bear and a rose for her child, and had both gifts tightly gripped in her hand. She could not hide her heart. She could not “keep it all together” on that day. The cry of motherhood was too much. Her heart was exposed, and her need was fully unveiled. As I watched her weep over this little tombstone representing a life she never knew, I wept with her. I saw the power of love. I saw a microcosm of the raw condition of hearts across Japan. Hearts longing for the deep healing, true love, and liberty found in Jesus. I saw the heart of why I was here: to bring the good news of Father’s love to broken lives and dreams.This February SEAPC will be taking a mission in 3 cities across Japan. We will be bringing the message and love of the Father to local churches and families. We will be connecting with friends at YWAM Tokyo and also laying the groundwork for new ministry to abandoned children left at local hospitals in the nation. If the Holy Spirit prompts you to join us, or you would like more information about SEAPC’s ministry to Japan, please contact us! Now is the time for deep and lasting breakthrough for this Land!

As the days get shorter, temperatures start to drop, and summer becomes a distant memory, it’s easy to forget about the long-lasting, meaningful insight that we can glean from our short-term trips. Throughout the year, we are blessed to have friends from across the globe travel with SEAPC as part of short-term teams in a wide variety of different contexts. We recently heard from our friend John Hollenberger, with his reflections on his own experience as part of an SEAPC short-term trip this past summer.As of writing this, I’ve been back in the ‘Burgh now for a little over a month. Being back has brought back all of the hustle and bustle of daily life. Work, kids, wife, church, small group, discipleship group, soccer practice…the list goes on. Much of life has gone back to how things were before heading to Cambodia. The busyness has caught up with me and I’ve become complacent in my praying, in my reading, and in my studying God’s word.

But one thing that is not the same since returning is me. While I’d love to be able to share with you some earth-shattering, monumental life changes I can’t do that. But what I can tell you is that I have a constant stirring inside me. So what does that mean? Well, I don’t really know if I’m honest. I have the benefit of working alongside some great folks that have shared some wisdom, and from that two points were common among the conversation:- God has you where you need to be right now, in this moment. And for the moment you need to be where your feet are. Be present.- We must wait on the Lord. All happens in his timing. And sometimes his timing is next week but sometimes it is 20 years from now. (This one may be tough. I have always been one of those fisherman that casts the line and reels it back in 2 minutes later.)The Cambodia missions trip was a life changing experience. Not only while in country but it continues to be now that we are home. God is shaping me and molding me each and every day. If you ever feel a nudge to go on a trip, go. Don’t worry about the time away, about the finances, about the what ifs. If that nudge is from God, everything will work out and fall into place.Whether you are joining a short-term team to prayer walk, serve in children’s homes, teach English, host medical clinics, or provide job training to professionals, please do so knowing that your short-term experience truly has a long-term impact — both on the Kingdom of God, and on you as an individual.Consider joining us on a short-term trip in 2019 to use your God-given gifts in the platforms of healthcare, education, parenting, and micro-economic development.

It was the 4th of July, 1997 and the Chinese bus rattled and bumped its way along the Old Burma Road in the Chinese foothills of the Himalayas. 10 men and 20 women were jammed into a 20-seater, their American and Singaporean opulence providing pillows for fellow passengers. The South China heat added a whiff of humanity to the group and helped to keep off the mosquitoes so famous for the region.One of the ladies, a middle-aged momma, had abandoned the racquet club, links, and pool to bring her teenage daughter for a taste of mission life. This ride was a bit more real than even she had bargained for. As hour after hour passed, songs gave way to silence and the customary banter of short-term teams followed them out the window. The group was getting grumpy.Finally, our leader announced, “We are here.”“Here” turned out to be a bridge crossing the Mekong River. Bumped and bruised, tousled and jostled, and completely out of sorts, mom and daughter waited their turn to alight from the bus. As they stepped down my friend Bill handed each of them a Snickers bar.‘Here,” He said. “I think you could use this.”“How did you know?” the young girl abandoned her teenaged frump. “This is my favorite. Oh, thank you, Bill.” The diatribe of discomfort dispelled, she tore open the wrapper and inhaled the candy bar. With beaming joy, she let the familiar taste and texture dissolve in her mouth. Bill had turned the bitter into sweet.

That’s the way it is with my friend Bill: he always has exactly what you need. No matter where your journey may take you, he is always there with just the thing you were thinking about, or the tool you need to get the job done, or the encouragement to get you up that last 500 feet of mountain trail.It is a joy to have a friend like Bill, but a greater joy to become one. So many people live today without a friend like Bill. They desperately need friendship and fellowship. Isolated, they feel the entire world is against them and turn to the web for like- minded, disconcerted, conversations of bitterness and rejection. They become easy prey for those hate mongers who surf the net looking for the vulnerable through whom they can multiply their schemes.A kind look, a helpful gesture, a visit to a neighbor or a hand with the leaves or the snow can scrape away the bitterness of rejection. A greeting and kind word can be the Snickers you give to someone who is tired of the same old stuff. Greeting the waitress by name or the flight attendant with a smile can lift the spirit of a dinner or travel. Joy, peace, and love are what everyone is hungry for and when we become a Bill, we bring them.

Cold, despondent, rejected, battling the effects of the altitude I sat in a very poorly heated hotel room in Kashmir. I had just begun to really wonder what I was doing there, and why wasn’t someone else called to do it, and did I really care about anyone there; when I heard the sound of his footfall and the approaching whistle. It was Bill with a pack of my favorite comfort food, Oreos and a tube of 3-in-1 instant coffee.“Hey, Brother Mark,” He said “You looked like you could use these.” When I grow up, I want to be Bill.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

It’s autumn, and in Pennsylvania the leaves have been glorious—reds, oranges, yellows. This year, the color came late. There were some who reveled in the continued green of lingering summer, others who bemoaned the delayed arrival of fall foliage. Eventually, seemingly overnight, the landscape went from green, to multicolored, to bare branches outlined against the gray sky.

Officially, it is still autumn, all evidence to the contrary. Conversations now focus on winter: will there be frigid temperatures, blizzards, unending darkness? Because the autumn leaves, for most people, represent loss. The frolicking of summer and the vibrancy of fall are over. Songs have been sung, poems have been written, and tales have been told, all full of long winter’s angst.Is this what God intended when He created the seasons? When He created us? Is there another way to reframe those changing leaves that is more Scriptural? Perhaps, just perhaps, the leaves aren’t forced to fall due to circumstance. Perhaps they let go.We have been given ample evidence that there is no need to fear anything—not even falling—because God is in control. Consider Psalm 37:23-24. The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong for the Lord upholds his hand. Even if we do fall, God has us.But how much more of a blessing is it to make the decision to put ourselves in His hands? Psalm 20:7, rich with image: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. The Bible is filled with testimonies of those who took this to heart. They didn’t fall; they let go and trusted in God, and in doing so changed the course of redemptive history.The pages of Scripture are not the only place to discover people who have let go of their lives and put themselves in the hands of the Almighty. South East Asia Prayer Center is blessed to partner with such folks in nations around the world and at home. And while no one is perfect, we can rest in perfect peace when our faith is placed in the Lord. Some examples:Hubert Chan, evangelist and pastor in the Mekong Region. He left a prosperous family and inheritance, and literally walked into the jungle to follow Jesus.Sinai Phouek, pastor and administrator. He escaped the persecution of the Killing Fields to find and follow Jesus, remaining in Cambodia to do so.Hector Zetino, evangelist and pastor in Guatemala. He walked away from gang life and embraced the Lord.“Gloria,” evangelist and autism specialist in China. She gave up worldly opportunities to carry the gospel and to educate the young.“Vincent,” pastor in Kashmir. He exchanged a successful business to minister and further care for the blind through the Church of Jesus Christ.Chung Nung, pastor and administrator in Myanmar. He eschewed a prosperous business to walk alongside his wife and father-in-law, Pastor James, in caring for orphans.Mark Geppert, pastor and missionary. He and his wife, Ellie, chose to listen when God called them to missions, founding South East Asia Prayer Center.This list is not comprehensive, but rather a very limited glimpse of the faithful all over the world who have chosen to put their trust in the Lord. They had lives, security, plans—all of the things which make it difficult to take on hardship and uncertainty. And yet, they let go of their old lives and grabbed onto the Vine in John 15:4. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.Not everyone totally abandons one life for another. We are not all called to do so. But we are all called to faith, trust, and total submission to Jesus. Yes, He gave us free will. We have a choice. Some cling to the almost-bare branches of their lives, waiting until circumstances force them to lay everything at God’s feet. It is at that point—the moment of total surrender—that our souls soar into the sky and dance on the wind in a colorful celebration.Will you choose to fall? Or will you choose to let go, in the sure and certain knowledge that the One who holds the universe also holds you in His capable hands?

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.Psalm 54:4

Despite the harsh realities of it, Faith’s (name has been changed to protect identity) story is an amazing testimony of God’s faithfulness through difficulty. At the age of 15 Faith was married. By 17 she began selling drugs to actors and actresses in Mexico City. Three years later, Faith was an alcoholic. When Faith was young her parents divorced. Her childhood wasn’t easy and abruptly came to halt after her early marriage to the most well-known narco in the area. Theirs was an open and free love, which understandably triggered a reckless lifestyle. At this time, Faith knew nothing about God. After moving to Tijuana, Faith began trading drugs and dispersing them to jails. This is where she first met Jesus. A natural evangelist, she immediately told her family about God and they slowly disposed of their idols. Though Faith loved Jesus, she went back into the world and became more enmeshed in her previous lifestyle. This time, however, she wasn’t alone and her family was praying on her behalf.It wasn’t long until Faith began drinking again –– she lost her appetite for life. “I had a lot of money, houses, cars, a ranch...I had everything.” The more that she had the deeper she spiraled. When she separated from her husband, she began living an isolated and lonely life –– locking herself up in a hotel for weeks on end. She hardly ate or slept during this period and instead dove further into the world of drugs. In her own words, “the enemy was destroying me little by little.” Nevertheless, she knew that her mother was praying for her.Empty and alone, Faith felt entirely hopeless. This was a breaking point. She realized her need for Jesus and knew that only He could help her get back up. After this encounter, she reconciled with her husband. The relationship, however, was worse than it was before. He became abusive and tried to kill her on three separate occasions. In those moments Faith would cry out to God and pledge that she would serve Him if He would give her another chance. The last time her husband attempted to murder her, Faith woke up unconscious with a hole in her head. When she finally awoke, she realized that her husband had kidnapped her and she was locked her in her own house. In time her physical wounds healed, but her heart had not recovered from the trauma and after receiving medical care she attempted to murder her husband. In her own words, “it was a disaster.”Around this time, Faith’s husband went to jail. With some much needed space, she decided to follow Jesus once again. To solidify this choice, she visited her husband in jail to tell him about her decision. Following Jesus wasn’t an easy choice. Faith was so deep in drugs that she knew that she needed to leave everything behind and move to another city. Before leaving, she promised her husband that she would come back and it would be okay again. After walking with Lord for some time, He spoke to her clearly and told her that she needed to go back home. He also reassured her that it would be okay and she didn’t need to be afraid. Her husband got out jail and even walked with the Lord for a while. They were happy. Everything felt different. Then the abusive patterns resurfaced. He fell back into his former lifestyle. This went on for 3 years until he ended up back in jail. Though hurt by his behavior and unfaithfulness, Faith visited him in jail to tell him that she cared for him and wanted good things for him. She prayed and asked God to release him. He was released for a short time, but his life eventually ended in jail while undergoing Faith’s surgery. Before he passed, he gave his life once more to the Lord. With all that she has gone through, and having spent time in prison herself, Faith has a passion for the lost and can be found preaching in prisons throughout the area. On a recent medical trip, she prayed with several of the inmates and many of them were seen weeping afterwards. During this clinic, someone gave their life to Jesus.It is hard to believe that Faith has only been following Jesus for five years. In the span of our 4 day medical clinic in Tehuantepec, many people decided to follow Jesus – some of whom were witch doctors. This trip to wasn’t the original plan. With hindsight, however, it is easy to see that the Father had these people in mind the entire time. It was an honor to partner with Faith and hear her powerful story. Please join us in prayer for her, her children, and her ministry.