Engaging Ourselves

UPDATE:

 Thank you to all who prayerfully supported their trip. Two people cancelled due to family health problems, and the rest of the team raised the money they needed to answer God's calling... in less then 2 weeks! Isn't God amazing?! They are now on their way to Africa-- please pray that God moves mightily both in their lives, and in the lives of those they meet.

 

Flashback:
When I was a freshman in high school, I went on a mission trip with a group from my school to Thailand. We first went to LA for a week of training, before flying over to Bangkok and then Chiang Mai for a couple weeks of outreach and English teaching. A week of that was spent up in mountain villages in the jungles of northern Thailand. God revealed Himself so much to me on that trip, from my morning devotions alone in the jungle, to the careening rides along the edge of the mountain, where there would be 10-12 of us sitting in a small pickup bed, to getting lost in the evening on a road, after praying at the doors of a Buddhist temple. He opened my eyes to the suffering of the world around, to the simplicity of life (which made even nonflushable toilets in Mexico look like luxury) to the joys and happiness of the children. I wish I could post pictures (I took 12 rolls in that pre-digital age), but alas they are at home and are not scanned. Maybe someday...

During that trip, I became good friends with one of the Thai translators. Her name is Uab. We continued to keep in touch over the years and saw each other get married and have children. She's been to the US a couple of times for disciple training and advanced Biblical studies. Now her and her husband head a ministry in Chiang Rai, where they reach out to college students through a coffee/smoothie cafe and Bible studies.



Which leads me to the purpose of this post...


A group of them have been feeling the Lord's calling for the past few months to go on a mission trip to Thailand. In her words,

 We felt God was calling us to go to Africa this October to share His love and truth. Some of students got picture and images that directly spoke of Africa, while others heard clear words that led us to doing more research. The more information we found, and the more we prayed, the more certain we became that we are supposed to go to Ethiopia and Tanzania this October. We will be doing ministries with street kids and young people with YWAM in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
 

     We also feel it is time for Thai Christians to know that they too can be missionaries and bring the Gospel to the nations. Thai people like to say that Christian is a Farang (white people)'s religion but it is not true. Jesus is for Thais, for Africans and for all nations.

"Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. (Number 9:17-18) 

     When the cloud moved, the Israelites moved and when the cloud stopped they too stopped. They didn't necessarily know where the could was going to lead them but they knew God was leading them to the promised land. This following God requires faith, obedience and commitment, the Israelites had to go whenever and wherever the cloud went. 

     I feel like we are following the cloud to Africa (Ethiopia and Tanzania). We don't know how we can get to Africa but we need to be obedient to God's call and guidance for us and for our young Thai Christians. Many of us have to go through some really hard time and persecution from their Buddhist families but they counted the cost and still chose to follow God's call to go share Jesus in Africa. We as a team continue to pray and ask God to lead us step by step, to show us what to do  and where to go. The Israelites was traveling to the Promised land, they didn't know the way to get there but they had God leading them by the cloud during the day and by the fire at night. Faith and Obedience are important. According to human wisdom, it is way easier for us to not go to Africa but some time the path that God calls us to go on is harder. So, we will go, step by step following God's call and His words to us, for we want to walk by faith, not by sight. Honestly, I can't always walk by faith and not by sight. I at times feel worried if we all heard God wrong or some of us won't have enough money to go. But I have to keep reminding myself to trust God because He can be trusted.

...

I have felt the past few days the burden to share Uab's calling on my blog. I struggled with it some, as I doubt most all of my readers know them, and many have their usual places that they designate their tithing money towards. But I've continued to feel the Spirit, and I know I will only have peace after I post. Another reason I've been burdened is because I heard a few statistics recently.

86% of homes in the US have 1-4 Bibles in them

of this 86% of US homes, only 69% of them believe that the Bible contains Truth. 

... and only 12% of people in these homes actively engage in the Bible in their daily lives.

Are you engaged in your daily walk??

It was humbling for me to think about Christian missions being a white person's job. If you look at the statistics, a vast amount of missionaries comes from the US, but Korea is also not far behind. So why are most missionaries caucasian? Thinking about it, I came up with the fact that we have money and resources (do you have any other thoughts?!) Granted, we don't all have a lot of wealth, and it's easy for us to say, "well, he/she has more"... but in an age where our country is being divided for political purposes into the have's and have nots, and the 99% vs the 1%...

... well folks, I hate to break it to you, but if you have the ability to be reading this, then by the world's standards, you are all in the 1%.

 ...

But back to Uab. Her team of 16 is planning on going to Africa on October 17th. Yes, in 12 days. Combined, they need $26,000 to go. They do not have this money, but continue to strongly feel God's calling that they need to follow him, trusting in Him to provide. They are engaging in the Word, binding to Him and knowing that where He leads, they must follow.

So I ask you... 

if you feel called after reading this post and praying, to support them as they try to share their faith with other's... well, I'd be ecstatic.

But even if you don't, could you engage in prayer, that they continue to follow God's calling, and that if this is His will, that others whom He has called to provide will step up to the plate? 

And finally... will you pray that there would be a revival amongst the believers, that we could further engage ourselves in God's Truth and walk in the light, bearing fruit along the way??

Here in information how to give, or you can email/comment me for more help:

In the US

To send financial support:

Please make out your check to YWAM and  please do not put
                    our name on the check, but include a separate note stating
                    that  the gift is for Jesse & Uab Ford
Mail your check to :
                     YWAM Strategic Frontiers, 
                     Attn: Donor Services,
                     P.O.Box 60579, Colorado Springs,
                     CO. 80960-0579
                     USA

Or by PayPal : jesseuabford@gmail.com

Thanks for even being willing to read this long post :)