How many stranger's homes did you stay in??

Finally getting to share some of the faces I got to encounter and love over my 2 months in Southeast Asia. We backpacked from village to village, stayed the night in over 20 stranger's homes, and used the same 4 shirts and 3 pants all summer joyfully. :)  SO blessed with joyful and flexible and loving friends to do it with that passionately poured into everyone we met!

-Kimberly
Explorer & Evangelist Team 2019

A Jewel in Southeast Asia

One of the first days on this new island, we were excited to go out and explore. Surrounded by beauty we were ready to see all that God would do. We headed out to find people. Ten minutes into our walk we happened across a barber shop where a few women sat in front smiling and calling to us. This was enough of an invitation for us to go over and chat with them. 

I spoke with the different women about their lives, looking but struggling to find an open door to share the gospel. Just as I began to think we should give up and move on, our translator encouraged me to keep asking questions. Praise God that I did not walk away in those moments! Eventually one of the women *Jewel ended up sharing that she had Christian relatives who had taken her to church a few times and had told her about the story of Jesus. Not only had she heard but her heart would break every time she heard the story of Christ crucified and would cry. She said that each time she heard this story it broke her heart but her Christian family told her to remain in her own religion, Islam. As we began to go deeper we asked if we could go to her house to continue talking.

As we sat in her house which consisted of “kitchen”, bedroom and bathroom all in one room, we discussed more about all that Christ’s crucifixion means for us. She agreed that this story is true and she fully believed. We asked her if she knew all that this meant, that following Christ means turning from sins, and other idols and accepting Jesus as our Lord. After going through all that this meant, we led her in prayer asking for forgiveness of sin, confessing that Jesus is Lord who died and was resurrected to pay for our sins. 

We studied John 1 with Jewel two times after she accepted Christ. She had already downloaded the Bible App on her phone, and was experiencing push back from her Muslim community who were suspicious of us visiting at her house. She stood firm in her new faith, seeming not to be afraid of confrontation. We went through the 10 Commandments in Exodus, explained prayer, the importance of reading scripture, worship and sharing her faith. When we visited her the second time she said she had been reading every day in John and felt a peace she couldn’t explain. It was the most encouraging experience of our trip out. Pray for Jewel and her family as they grow in their new faith!

-Jenna 
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

Life on Purpose

Being back at our home base for the last two days of our trip seemed like the end, but the Father had a plan. I had been forming a good relationship with one of the cousins, *Nelly, who lives in this city.

We had become very close over the few weeks. I was trying to share with her, but she would lead the conversation quickly away. As I left to go out for our second trip, my heart hurt knowing that she does not believe. The day I came back, expecting my work here to be done, our supervisor asked me if I wanted to try and meet up with Nelly. I agreed it would be a good idea, though my heart was weary from the long-time of work in the weeks before.

The Father was beginning to teach me something in the middle of this that is so vital to the walk the Father has called each of His children to.

I began to pray for our conversation and later that day we went out to get coffee. At the end of the day we began to talk about the dark magic. She told me about many of her family members who were affected by the dark magic including a curse that was put on one of her grandmother’s friends and her grandmother had to make a sacrifice so that the dark magic would leave. I took this opportunity to share about the greatest sacrifice ever made.

She quickly lead the conversation away. 

We returned to the house without more conversation about the Good News. I was discouraged as I walked back into our home, but I trusted that the Lord was working. Again, I thought that this would be the last opportunity for truth, but the Father was working in ways I could not see.

The next day, Nelly and I ate breakfast together and the Spirit provided an opportunity for me to share my testimony and to listen to her about a lot of the trauma of her past. She listened intently as I shared and though she still did not believe, something seemed to shift in our conversation. Pray for Nelly that she would believe.

I was not ready to share and I felt so empty and unprepared, but the Lord provided the way into the conversation and the means to share. He taught me that we hold the greatest news that means life or death so we must not go on in silence. We must go to the nations so that the family will grow even when it means being emptied daily. We must always be ready to share and rely on the Father for strength to walk in it. 

-Tali 
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

The Uninterested Man

I shared with yet another man, on a soccer field, who seemed uninterested in the Good News. 

I was discouraged and knew that it was one of the rougher explanations of the Gospel I had given. I felt like I botched the story... it seemed like for weeks, everyone had been uninterested.

We started leaving the field and the man called from behind us to come to his house. We politely said that we would go. So, my translator and I started toward his house, as the man led the way. 

We sat on the floor and talked about our lives and laughed a few times over the absurdities from our respective cultures. After a while, it was time for us to go. 

We went back to the village leader’s house, where we were staying, only to be met by a large crowd of people about an hour later.

There was a disturbance in the village and the man came to let the village leader know about it, with about 20 of his companions. But something strange happened when everyone left to go make their police report; the man stayed sitting on the porch with us, as if he was waiting on something.

Our translator started talking to him and reexplaining the Good News. My team and I sat around and talked while occasionally listening to their conversation. 

Suddenly, my translator looks directly at me and says, “He wants to accept, you lead him in a prayer. You shared with him earlier.” Nervousness and excitement filled me. I had never led someone to the Lord. I don’t know what to say.

My teammates reassured me and I started in the prayer. As I spoke, I felt the Spirit inside me moving. I was overjoyed and wanted to celebrate with all my heart! I finished and he finished with me. 

We exchanged a look at one another and smiled with an understanding that what just happened changed him. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness!!

-Chase 
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

Power over Darkness

We were walking along the road in a village one afternoon. Most people were coming back from their farms, and people were beginning to come out and sit with their neighbors in small gazebos.

We were praying for people to come up to us to talk so that we could share with them. We walked past two women who waved as we walked by. We continued walking, but I got a feeling that we should go back and talk to them. 
 
The Spirit knew more than we did about the hearts of those we were walking past. We walked up & they invited us to sit with them. We began talking. I noticed that one of the women had a root pinned to her shirt. I asked her about it. She told us that there is an old belief when women in the village are pregnant they wear these roots pinned on their shirts, so evil forces would be kept away and their babies would be healthy.

We asked if they believed that their god was more powerful than the evil spirits. They told us yes, but insisted that they still needed to wear the root. 

The story of the Legion came to my mind so I began to tell the women the story of how the Son has power over evil spirits. I led the story to the Good News and was able to share with the women. 

One of the women was very interested and listened intently, but others had begun talking among themselves, ignoring what we were sharing. We faced this response often, and it made it difficult to share, but in that moment I knew that a few of them had heard the Good News, and the Father is faithful to open hearts and reveal Himself to people. He has promised one from every tribe, tongue, and nation, and I trust that He is faithful to His promises.

Pray for the women who heard the Good News, for the seeds that were planted in their hearts. 
Pray that they will want to know more about the One who has power over all evil. 

-Tali
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

Two Believe!

“Brothers and sisters, you are aware that in the early day the Father made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the good news message and believe.”   Acts 15:7

Today, while in a rural village, some locals told us about a beautiful beach that was not very far away. As we were walking toward the beach we came across this very small community of people. 

A couple invited us into their home. As we were sitting with them and discussing culture, hobbies, and each other’s families, we were given the opportunity to share. One of my friends, Jay, felt led and shared her testimony and the full Gospel from beginning to end! While she was sharing we were all interceding and asking that the Father would bring the dead to life. 

After she finished, we asked follow up questions and the couple both believed in the name above all names! We were all encouraged and excited to see how faithfully the Father is working for His glory throughout the whole world! 

Through the Holy Spirit leading us to these specific people, our faithfulness to share, and the Father’s mercies made just by the son, two people were able to hear and believe! 
In these hard to get to, rural places the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Please ask that the Father of the harvest would send out more laborers, and that by the mouth of obedient followers, these people would hear the Good News message and believe. 

-Aidan
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

What are you reading?

“At the same time, pray also for us that the father may open a door to us for word, to speak the mystery of the son, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should.”  Col. 3:3-4

On June 25th while sitting on the front porch of a village home, a passing truck came to a halt and we hear the usual “Hello Mister.” However, to our surprise Bapak Mat spoke fluent English! He was surprised to meet native English speakers and invited us to come to his village and stay with him the next day. 

As we arrived the next day, we explored some waterfalls & built relationships with our host and some of his neighbors. The next morning I woke up and went in the main room to read my Bible as usual while Bapak Mat was sitting with Mamatt talking. 

I opened to the book of John and as soon as I did Bapak asked me “What are you reading?” I answered “The good news according to John”. Then Bapak asked, “What is the good news?” 

This was the clearest door that had been opened thus far. 

I couldn’t believe how straight forward the Holy Spirit was being in directing our conversation. Mamatt and I got to share the whole Gospel and walk through John 1 with him! Bapak even asked to read all four books! 

Although Bapak did not confess truth, we were able to share, answer questions, and leave him with a book so he could read further on his own.

I had been praying Colossians over the people we would meet but I had no idea how clearly the Father would answer my intercession. He is so kind and His timing is always perfect! 

This day encouraged me so much and helped me to trust deeper in the Fathers provision and led me to worship him in all circumstances! 

Pray for Bapak. Pray for understanding as he reads The Book and that he would choose to follow the Christ he is reading about.

-Aidan
Ex & Ev Team
Southeast Asia

Hearing the True Call

Here we are in the middle of this random fishing village, sitting at the docks, about to share with the only guy there. I start sharing by telling the story of Jonah and the big fish. Suddenly, we look up and there are about 15 people sitting and listening to this story. Wow! Praise the Father!! 

As Chase looks around at the faces, He begins to pray that their hearts are receptive to the message being spoken to them. Their faces are fixed on the white man sharing and then shifts, as our translator begins to say everything in their language.

Just as I am starting to shift the story to our Big Brother, the enemy decides that he will strike. The mosque, located right next to the port, starts the call to prayer. The people stayed fixed on me and the story, but the noise is deafening. Bryce and Chase look at each other for a moment, and Chase was certain that Bryce was doing the same thing that he was, lifting his voice to the Father. They both kept praying the same thing, "Please make this noise stop. Make the speakers shut down. Please Father, let your message be heard by all these people."

Without realizing it, Chase had started to listen to everything around him and the call had stopped. It probably lasted a minute and had been the shortest call to prayer we had heard in the whole month. I continued sharing the whole Good News. When I finished, the call started for just a moment and wasn't heard again until the next call. 

Look what God did!!!

Pray for the man who heard the story of Jonah and the Good News.

Pray that the truth of the Scripture will create a desire to know more.

-Tyler
Explorer & Evangelist Team
Southeast Asia

Aidan & Ruth

Praise be to the Father that HE has allowed multiple opportunities for me to be obedient in sharing the good news. I have been able to share my story, the parable of the lost sheep, creation to Christ, and some verses.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to talk with my new friend Ruth. I shared with her the full good news in depth along with my story and another story of how God was faithful in my friend’s life. She seemed to be intensely listening but when I finished I asked her what she thought of some things and she just said “that is good for you and your belief” and showed little to no interest in anything I had shared. This was discouraging to me and then I recalled Isaiah 55:11.

 So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

God will accomplish what He wills and HIS Word will not return void. Even after sharing and seeing no fruit I can be encouraged to trust that He is working for HIS glory more than I ever could be and I can trust in the promises of HIS Word. My Father is glorified through my obedience to share and it is up to HIM to open eyes and soften hearts.

Please pray for follow up opportunities with those we have shared with. Pray that Ruth would see our God as the way, the truth, and the life. Please pray for my team, that we would not be discouraged but encouraged, and that we would trust deeply in Christ who promises to work all things for HIS glory.

-Aidan
Ex & Ev
Southeast Asia

Meet the Team: Explorer & Evangelist

These are the Ex & Ev teams that will be traveling around SE Asia sharing the good news to people in hard to reach places.

Team 1

Team Leader: 

My name is Tyler and I’m from McCool, Mississippi.  I attend Blue Mountain College.  A fun fact about me is that I can eat 15 chocolate chip cookies in one sitting.

Members  

My name is Chase, I am from Stonewall, Louisiana. I just graduated from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. A fun fact about me is that I am obsessed with research about anything and I am a photographer!

My name is Bryce and I am from Tupelo, Mississippi. I attend Mississippi College and am a Biology Pre-Med major. A fun fact is I used to have a pet chinchilla.

Team 2

Team Leader: 

I’m Jenna I am from the University of Delaware and have lived in Delaware most of my life. A fun fact about me as that I am a Latin dancer and love to Salsa dance.

Members:

My name is Aidan. I am from Southside Birmingham, AL. I just graduated UAB with a BS in Public Health and Global Studies, Blaze on! My freestyle rap game is strong.

My name is Morgan and I am from Marion, AR. I attend Ouachita Baptist University. A fun fact about me is that I love to run.

My name is Matt, and I am from Greenwood, AR, and I attend the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. A fun fact about me is that I was a wrestler in High School.

Team 3

L to R: Hilton, Kimberly, Tali, Translator, Olivia

Team Leader

Hilton: I am from MS where the pine trees grow taller than the mountains. I currently attend the University of Mississippi. In the 11^th grade I broke my face in a baseball game spent the night in the ER and still went to prom the next day.

Members

Kimberly: I live in TN and I attend Union University, I have one more year of nursing school there. A fun fact is that I am bi-lingual in a South-East Asian language.

Tali: I live in Knoxville, Tennessee and I attend the University of Tennessee. I like to do cartwheels wherever I find flat ground.

Olivia: I am from LA and I go to Louisiana Tech University. A fun fact is that I was a gymnast for eighteen years.

Please lift up our team as we go out to share good news with the people in our area of Southeast Asia. Lift up the hearts of the people, so they would be softened and ready to hear the Gospel.

-Chase
Ex & Ev Media