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Lai Yung Lai
On the last day that I finished the Kairos course at ACC this May, I made a promise to God that I would go to a short-term mission trip next year. But God’s plan is higher than mine, He gave me an opportunity to join the Belize Chinese STM team in November this year. Even though this was my first time visiting Belize, I felt familiar to the weather, environment & people there. It may be because Cantonese congregation has been sending STM teams to Belize to share the gospel with the Chinese people there for the past ten years.
My reflections after this trip:
I experienced God’s faithfulness again & and that He will answer any prayer that is after His heart: Throughout the whole time, especially the two gospel meetings on Sundays, we saw God’s power and answers to our prayers. A few days before our departure, we received a message from Belize: “Electric company informed us that there would be no electricity on Sunday from 7 am to 3 pm”. This was beyond our control, we could only pray and leave it to God. The power was restored on time at 3:00 pm, and children, teenagers and adults also gradually showed up after 3:30 pm. On the second Sunday, most of the shop owners had to attend a compulsory government meeting starting at two o'clock in the afternoon. When we found out, we prayed that the meeting would end soon or be canceled. As a result, the meeting ended at three o'clock.
I saw everyone in the team was willing to give for the sake of the gospel: Some brothers and sisters who are more attracted to mosquitoes have many "achievement marks" on their hands, feet, and even their necks and faces. Due to the hot and humid weather in Belize, and the locations which we could use for children and teenagers to meet on the two Sundays, we really got a sense of what it meant to drench in sweat. Psalm 126:5 came to my mind: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” Instead, we were sowing in sweat. Praise to our Lord: a total of five children said during the Sunday meetings that they were willing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as their personal Savior!
God uses everyone’s different gifts & background to do His work: No matter it's for children, youth or adults, God prepared us to serve Him according to our gifts from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also moved brothers & sisters from the local church to work together with us. During visitations, God used our different background to open up conversations with the local Chinese people whom we did not know.
I learned to let go of my own experiences and perceptions, completely submit to God’s leading: Such as how to prepare the content of the Bible lesson & songs for the children & made adjustment after the first Sunday. Also, I learned how to present the gospel in a way that was easy to understand, but also complete.
There are many Chinese in Belize who do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. What they pursue is to use their time to make money and have a better future or life for the next generation or themselves; some say they believe in God, but what they read is the "Bible" left to them by heretics/cults. Please pray that they seek God and will receive the true gospel.
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