NT365 Semester Deployment: Bekah & RuthAnn

We're working alongside a family on the field, helping to homeschool their son a few days a week. When we aren't doing that, we have the opportunity to go out with friends we've met at local college campuses. 

The first few weeks were a little slow because students weren't in school yet. But we have been able to have good Gospel conversations & share!

Prayer requests: 

We start language classes soon... pray the Lord will use that opportunity to open door to meet more students. 

Pray for wisdom & guidance as we prepare the teach in the homeschool classes each week.

-Bekah & RuthAnn

Thankful for the Journey

We made it back from our trekking late the other night. The Lord provided many evangelical  conversations throughout the trip. It was an immense blessing to distribute Bibles in far-out villages.

The Lord is doing great things here. The churches we found are so faithful to the Lord and very welcoming to us. Within the next few days, we'll head back to the big city & meet up with our supervisor. (It would be wrong of us to not admit we're super excited to get back to the city & get some pizza!)

Please pray that people have softened hearts as we begin the next leg of our trip, doing street evangelism & ministry in the city area.  

-T

Humla Experience, Southeast Asia

What is an UUPG??

Our team has been sharing the Good News, teaching English, helping with discipleship groups, and teaching youth and children on Sunday mornings at a local church. Recently we were able to visit an unengaged unreached people group (UUPG) about 3 hours from our city recently. Conversations are taking place with local churches to develop a strategy to reach out to this UUPG.

(An unengaged unreached people group is a people group with no known active church planting underway.)

We've been blessed to have made many connections with those here through various events... right now we're occupied prioritizing our follow ups with these. Be in pray for those we are meeting. Pray they would come to know Jesus and follow him wholeheartedly.

-Graham
Tropical Traveler Team, Southeast Asia

Seeking & Finding the Truth

Praise the Lord!! We have met a solid believer who has been a huge help in our ministry. We've been able to do a log of "cold call" sharing as well as relational sharing. The Lord has blessed us with high spirits through sickness, spiritual warfare & other obstacles. As a team, we have grown closer & learned to love each other more in Christ.

One local man we shared with was immediately interested in the Gospel. We have met with him several times & he is more & more interested in the truth of the Good News. We'll be studying through the book of John with him soon. Prayers are appreciated for "E" as we continue sharing with him.

-Logan

Evangelism & Prayer Advocate Team, Southeast Asia

Sowing seeds

At the beginning of the summer we got to teach English to kids, sharing Bible stories with them. We were also able to go house to house in the village where we are staying. This gave us the opportunity to pray for them & share Bible stories with the families.

Recently we went on a really long trek to another village, praying a lot along the way. God is teaching us that prayer is very important through all of what He is leading us to do.

Pray for the Gospel seeds which have been sown through sharing Bible stories.

Pray for open doors in new areas.

-Larry

Taplejung Experience Team, Southeast Asia

Plowing the field

A lot of field plowing over here taking place! We have gotten to do English camp in a region they haven't really been able to get into before. The kids loved us which will hopefully open doors for future ministry in that area.

We've also been trying to bring people into the "center" through conversation nights, giving nationals the opportunity to leaven English for free. That has been going good also! We had around 11 girls show up this past Saturday.

Pray for opportunities to follow up with the girls who attended the recent conversation night.

-Abby

Connecting & Seeking, Southeast Asia

Cultivating Relationships

One of the most important parts of serving here is meeting new people. We love to meet people & then build relationships with them. Once we have cultivated these relationships, we can share the Good News. 

Please pray we will continue to meet new people & that they would be receptive to the Good News.

Please pray for:

• Unity among our team

• SE Asian people groups and the vast lostness

• Boldness to share the good news

• Health for our team

• Salvations and follow up discipleship

• House church we will be helping with

• College campus we are serving on

-Graham

Tropical Traveler Team, Southeast Asia

Peoples of Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is home to many different people groups, languages, nations, and tribes. There are vast cultures with many similarities and differences.

In our first few days here, we have visited a few religious sites. While this region is predominately Muslim, there are many different religions. These have really opened our eyes to the lostness here. We have visited a Buddhist temple and seen/heard many Mosques.

So far, we have been able to share with two individuals. Please pray that the Lord would soften the hearts of those we have come in contact with so that they will find salvation in His name.

-Graham

Tropical Traveler Team, Southeast Asia

His Mercy & His Word: Jessica

Over the last couple weeks God has been teaching me more about His mercy & His word. I am in awe of how gracious God is. He has completely redeemed me though I do not deserve it. His mercy abounds deeper than I know & it is not dependent on me, but rather on His unchanging character. 

I have also been reminded that His word is not only trustworthy but also everlasting. In my quiet times I have been thinking a lot about how the things of this world are temporary. It is a blessing from God to have the relationships & possessions, but they do fade away. It is a comfort to me that the greatest thing I have will never fade away, because my God is everlasting & His word endures forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)

-Jessica

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Part of the work: Adrielle

A passage that has stood out to me recently was Isaiah 42:5-8. It's incredible that the God who created everything and has dominion over all of it, allows me to be a a part of His work in spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth. He could definitely do it all on His own if He wanted, but He chooses to let us be a part of it so that He gets all the glory. 

I love the image of Him holding my hand. I know that He is always with me and will never leave or forsake me. He doesn't just send us out and say, "Good luck!" He sticks with us & guides us though every step. that is so encouraging!

-Adrielle

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Utilizing the gifts

During my current semester deployment, I have been able to see & experience many aspects of the organization we are serving with. One really cool thing I've noticed is how they find a way to use everyone's gifts & talents. Anyone who has a heart to serve & obey our Father can be used in a way that utilizes the gifts they have been given.

Please pray for my field supervisors to continue to abide deeply in their relationship with the Lord.

Pray for spiritual fruit in their lives as they walk in obedience with the Father.

-Grace

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Changes in normal life: Camille

Ministry has looked quite different during Ramadan. During the day, hardly anyone will be in the restaurants or shops. As you walk along the street, many places are closed. It's hard to do life as normal during the day.

Part of our ministry is following up with people that we've met, continuing to develop relationships. But that is so much harder during this time. The colleges are out of session & its just harder to spend time with people. No one is looking to hang out in the local coffee shop.

Where we live has more of a "night culture" anyway... and this is on another level during Ramadan as that's when they are "breaking their fast"... it's almost a party atmosphere. 

Pray for missionaries in our city. 

Pray for divine conversations during this days of Ramadan as many seem more open to spitirual things.

-Camille

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

God is good: Camille

The Lord has been growing my love for the city where I am & it's people. He has helped me be more faithful in praying for the city. He has helped me seek Him in prayer more & abide in Him through prayer. An ongoing prayer request of mine has been my prayer life... that is would be stronger. God is answering that prayer.

He's also been reminding me to praise His name. I have been filled with more joy lately because of praying and meditating through worship music that is full of praising Jesus. 

God is so good & may be be magnified & lifted high! Praise God for His word and the gift it is to praise Him, know Him, and have a relationship with Him!

-Camille
NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Breaking the Fast: Cambree

Being in this Muslim-majority country during Ramadan has been an experience. I was shocked to go out during the first day & find the whole city looking like a ghost town. Everyone was either working or sleeping to pass the time. At night thought... the party starts! Shops start opening around 3PM. We walk around & smell a billion different types of food all around us. There are huge buckets of drinks, lots of barbeque, fruit, and lots of interesting looking meat things.

Around 5PM, everyone starts ordering food & carrying it around with them until 6:30... then it's time for breaking fast... everyone eats & it's like the happiness is restored to the city. Everyone is smiling & yelling & talking... amazing to watch!

At the end of Ramadan is the Hari Raya celebration. We're looking forward to that. We've been invited to celebrate with one of our friends & her family.

Please pray for us as we spend time with our friend's family. 

Pray for opportunities to share spiritual truths during this time while they are seeking spiritual insight.

-Cambree

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim 

Endurance for Cambree

My personal time with the Lord lately has left me with one word in mind: endurance. It seems like every scripture I read talks about making it through hard time and for this I am so grateful. This season has been tough but the Lord has been so kind to teach me how to remain steadfast through it all.

One particular verse has stayed with me: Hebrews 12:2. 

My first thought was "Okay... keep your eyes on Jesus!" My second thought was "hmmmm... for the joy that lay before Him..." I have thought about this a lot. 

What was the joy laid before Him? 

What was the thing that got Jesus through the hard times & gave Him endurance?  

I truly, truly believe that WE are the joy that lay before Him. It is no secret that Jesus came to Earth to save us, but this verse puts it in a whole new perspective! Thinking about knowing us personally & saving us brought Jesus enough joy to make it through the worst death in the world. He just loves us so much. This is so sweet and encouraging to my heart. If Jesus can endure hard things for me, surely I can for Him, right??!!

I am determined to fix my eyes on Jesus and not on whatever trial I am facing. I will focus on the joy of being able to share His name with the people here... That is definitely worth every hard moment. And if I have any strength to serve, or any strength to ensure, it is from the strength that God provides. May He be glorified in everything. (I Peter 4:11)

-Cambree

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Month of Fasting

As you may know, during this month, close to 25% of the world population has come together for a time of fasting called Ramadan. This is a fast all Muslims are required to participate in, lasting the entire month of March. Starting at sunrise & going til sunset, Muslims will not drink or eat anything... this includes water. 

I recently had the opportunity to "brea fast" with one of my friends who celebrates this time. We went to the Ramadan Bazaar, a large area with dozens of food trucks. Everyone gets their food & finds a place to sit where they can break fast with their friends & family. As we were looking for a place to sit, we noticed it was about to rain. this led to our friend bringing us right outside the mosque. As we walked through the gate, we quickly doned a headscarf & sat down to prepare to break fast. Being right by the mosque provided an amazing way to experience the culture & religion of the people we are living among during this semester.

Pray for our friends as they participate in this celebration. 

Pray for eyes & hearts to be opened that only Jesus is the true Bread of Life.

-Grace

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

He is good & He is working: Julia

God has been teaching me patience over this past month. The country I am living in has strong Buddhist & Taoist beliefs. People are reserved & it takes time to build relationships. I struggled with this our first few weeks in country. We were meeting new people & not growing close as quickly as I hoped. 

I thought I was failing. God was not failing, in fact, He is always working. Regardless of what I counted as success. 

Through my quiet times, God has reminded me that He is good & He is working in people's hearts. I surrendered my definition of success to God. 

I decided to jump in where I saw God working... and wouldn't you know?? We have met people ready to hear the Gospel! Whether it's walking down the street, seeing a regular worker at a tea shop or youth at church. We have been so blessed to begin building relationships where people are open to the Gospel. As we continue to steadily build out friendships, I pray for continued patience and an ear to hear God's voice.

-Julia

True joy in Jesus: Cambree

The Lord has been teaching me to live Romans 12:9-16. How to love & love genuinely. How to take the lead in honoring others & be patient when things are hard & pray always. To rejoice with those who rejoice and help carry the burdens of those who weep. 

He is teaching me that to truly live a selfless life is to think of others as more important than myself. (Philippians 2:3). I know that verse, but do I live it?? 

This past month has been a month of realizing that the Lord still wants to teach me SO much, and i'm grateful for that. I am learning how to really be a doer of the Word, especially when it's hard. 

It's easy to read the Bible and only listen to the verses I like, but that's not the way God has called me to live. I have found true joy in reading the Word daily and actually LOOKING for ways I need to grow- so I can become more like Jesus. 

I am not ashamed at all to admit that I am weak & being convicted for something new like every single day, because that means I have more opportunity to grow & become who God has created me to me. I could write a book at this point honestly... but probably the biggest thing i have learned is that I have to let Christ be my strength. Some days are super hard here & I cannot be independent or think I can do anything without Jesus, because I actually can't. I need Him more & more every day.

-Cambree

I sure do love Jesus: Lydia

The Lord has been teaching me that time is precious & so is everyone. 

Everyone is worthy & needs to hear the Gospel. 

Every single moment is spent making a decision. 

Every decision made will affect someone, somehow. 

Every word will mean something to someone. 

Every moment that is wasted because I was hesitant to talk to someone will never be able to be recovered.

I have been learning that Jesus does not care who I talk to as long as I am loving them & sharing with them His love & His life story.

Every sunrise & sunset counts.

Every person should hear.

Everyone should know.

There was once an older Christian man who told me I shouldn't look to share with drunkards, only peaceful people. I realize now how foolish it was for me to believe that. 

Everyone deserves to hear about Jesus!! They may not believer BUT they should know His name & His love.

I sure do love Jesus.

-Lydia

A day in the life: Lydia & Cambree

Ministry during this season of the Gap Year looks a lot different than it has until now. We are in charge of making our schedule & being intentional with our time. A typical day will see us getting out & exploring the city, trying to meeting people. We try to do this prayfully so we don't miss any opportunities God provides to share the Truth.

If we make friends, we try to go back & follow up within the week, inviting them to hang out. The Lord has opened so many doors & we have been able to have some amazing conversations with people. We currently are studying the book of Matthew with a girl who is interested in following Jesus. It has been a joy to watch her slowly understand that Jesus loves HER and died for HER so that she can live in freedom. Please pray for her to know the trust & be set free.

We usually end our days with watching the sunset by the ocean... isn't ministry life so hard??!! It's a great way to meet more people also. We live in the middle of the city so it's great to have tons of people walking around right outside our place. We are in awe of God's power & ability to guide conversations right into the Gospel. Super, super honored & blessed to be able to grow & serve Him.

-Lydia & Cambree