I want to share with you the journey of faith that led me to the Arise. After moving into this country, my faith had been a personal journey, one that I nurtured in the quiet moments of prayer and worship. But there was always this lingering feeling that I was meant to do more, to reach out beyond the familiar walls of houses and offices and also bring the message of Christ outside of the church building. It was a daunting thought – the idea of stepping out of the comfort zone, approaching strangers, starting a random talk with foreign language, and speaking openly about my faith.
One Wednesday, after the service, my friend Teresa shared the Arise information with me. I felt a nudge inside of me. It was an image of the pastor from my home church using his second language and sharing the gospel among foreigners. As I recalled this memory, I realised that this calling was not just for the apostles or the leaders of the church; it was for all of us. It was for me.
I prayed for courage and wisdom, asking God to guide my steps to join the Arise with work commitment. This turns out to be important for the whole journey. Here is the story behind this: One manager at work challenged my absence in the office while I followed all the employee procedures applying for working remotely during the Arise Time. My direct line manager jumped in and helped me negotiate the incident. This gives me an assurance that God will make the way for our life and the entire Arise journey.
After the training session, we started going door to door to reach out to people. The first time I approached the door and initiated the talk, my heart pounded in my chest. But as I began to speak, a sense of peace washed over me. Those closing doors did not affect us but just led us to the next one. As we continued to go out door to doors, I met people from all walks of life – the homeless, the lonely, the curious, and the sceptical. Each encounter was unique, but what remained constant was the undeniable presence of God in those moments. Some accepted prayer, others took a booklet, and a few told us hurches could be more accessible to the public.
The Arise taught me so much about faith, humility, and the boundless love of God. Each evening after I returned to the accommodation, I often feel weak in my body with migraines, nauseousness and/or other sicknesses. My lovely roommate, Yejin, constantly showed her love by checking me in. Not just her, the entire 2024 GVC team demonstrates the unison in Christ. We are all instruments in His hands, called to sow seeds of faith wherever we go together. We are one team. Sharing gospels isn’t always easy, and there are times when we face rejection or indifference. But I am reminded I have a strong support behind while Jesus Himself faced the similar but still chose to love unconditionally.
If you feel that nudge in your heart, I encourage you to pray and seek God’s guidance. There is a world out there in desperate need of His love, and you might be the only person to share it with them. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few as Book of Luke said. Let us step out in faith, and watch how God works through us to touch lives and transform hearts.
