Before the first Arise meeting God gave to me, who was half doubting, a heart of “don’t be fearful of anything, but just participate in and enjoy the work that I am doing” so that’s how I ended up participating. And before Arise, although I couldn’t fully prepare because of the excuse that I was busy and I felt greatly burdened, God gave me a mature team leader so that I could do well for the duration of the 7 day and 6 night course and also prepared a good host family for me.
It was the first time that I had done anything “door to door” and as a cell leader and a B2 educator I was ashamed that I was so nervous that I couldn’t read the survey properly and stumbled over my words causing me to be disheartened and dejected. God allowing me to see my true self instead of the good outward self that I think I have made me bow before God and I was thankful for that opportunity.
For four days I covered the areas of Laters Close and Pondlane. Although I didn’t visit many houses, I had the opportunity to have many long and deep conversations. Two families that I met were visited again later by members of Gold Hill Baptist Church and because those families lived not far from the house of the church members and because the church member had previously run a milk delivery business and new the area well, the church members continued to serve those two families even after Arise.
During Arise I was able to meet so many good people that I can’t list them all here, but to share shortly, a couple named Jenny and Johnny who currently aren’t attending church but who had attended a Baptist church when they were young shared about their lives with us and I am thankful they were able to come to worship on Sunday and pray that they will continue to be able to come to church.
Although he said he wasn’t interested in religion or politics, we spoke for an hour with an older gentleman named Arthur who also showed us his garden. It was Chan Young’s idea that during our second visit with him we could give him a printed picture that we took at his garden with a message from church members on the back. We gave it to him and although he didn’t attend the service on Sunday, on Saturday he visited the tent and I am thankful that he had fellowship with the church members.
Additionally, we met Blyth who has an interesting personal history and who doesn’t believe in God but who volunteers ringing bells at her daughter’s church every Thursday. I don’t know if she felt bad for turning us away at the door when we first arrived but she called us back after we had started to leave and responded to our survey and on the Feast Day she visited the prayer tent and I am thankful to God that we could speak once again.
Missionary Jong Sang Choi who had acted as a leader at Arise said that for one soul to become saved it usually takes 21 opportunities to receive Jesus Christ. This year at Arise only God knows the number of calls to receive Christ that all the many families and people we met have had up to this point. I am thankful to God that he permitted us to participate in His call and for being with us.
