To our beloved co-workers,
May the Lord’s peace be with you.
These days, the hope that things will improve as time passes seems to be fading. Observing situations beyond human control, I confess that many things we’ve taken for granted were actually God’s grace. If there is any benefit that I have gained through these difficult times, it might be a newly found appreciation for many things we have carelessly overlooked.
As mentioned in my previous letter, it seems that this year will bring new changes and challenges to our family. We are preparing to leave the mission field where we have served for the past 21 years for a new mission field. The decision was not easy, but I believe God has led us to this new situation through COVID-19.
We have lived as students from the year we first entered the mission field until the moment we left. Maintaining our student status for the past 21 years has been nothing short of a miracle. Therefore, the moment we received the call saying that the school could no longer provide a visa was accompanied by unbearable pain. Even now, I dream of the streets we walked and the people we met there. I miss the taste of the noodles we ate, a taste that has unexpectedly become localized.
However, what hurts the most are the children of Ronggu. In this small village called Ronggu, our new ministry began, and it took countless twists and turns before the children’s hearts were opened. How can one count all the prayers and tears sown in Ronggu? Therefore, all the difficult experiences and encounters remain in my heart like jewels. Please continue to pray for the scattered children of Ronggu. Pray that among them, there will be meaningful encounters within the gospel, and that God will grant workers and communities who can help them. We earnestly pray that meaningful fruits will be harvested through new workers who understand the situation in Tibet and love its people with the heart of a father.
The new place God planted in our hearts is Chad, Africa. Chad is definitely a land in need of missionaries. It’s the perfect fit for our initial prayer to God as we first headed to the mission field, saying, “We want to stand where missionaries are desperately needed.” Chad is connected to Libya in the north, Sudan in the east, Niger in the west, and the Central African Republic in the south.
Here is some basic information:
– Capital: N’Djamena
– Area: 1.28 million square kilometers (6 times the size of the Korean Peninsula)
– Ethnic Groups: About 180
– Languages: French and Arabic are official languages, but there are more than 127 languages used depending on the tribe and region
– Climate: Extremely hot and dry (over 50°C during the dry season)
– Religion: Islam, Christianity, indigenous religions
We have spent 21 years as missionaries, and we know the need and importance of co-workers better than anyone. But we have also often experienced that working with fellow missionaries is not easy. In Chad, we want to learn and gain experience for starting a new mission from existing missionaries. Through this learning process, we pray to find like-minded missionary partners. Please pray that we can meet partners who acknowledge each other’s differences and limitations and respect each other’s lives and ministries.
Please pray for the blessings of new encounters. We ask that God will prepare locals and Chinese people in Chad. Above all, we ask for prayers that we can look at Chad with God’s heart for the lost souls and love them ardently.
In these unpredictable times, we pray for God’s special grace to turn the fear of uncertainty about the future into hopeful expectation. We praise God for connecting us, who were like scattered dots, into a line within His providence and for forming His kingdom through those lines. We look forward to being together with you, our partners, until the end of this joyful and thankful journey.
Thank you.
Blessings to you.