So I spent my birthday with some great friends at an Irish Pub tonight. Now what’s a Chinese American who just spent four months in Mexico doing in an Irish Pub? It gets better. This evening consisted of topics and conversations that covered the whole spectrum. From sports, business, faith, church, you name it – we talked about it. I even spoke in Chinese. One of the guys asked me to share about what I will be doing in Africa because I promised his wife I would tell her why I’m so excited to go.
But before that, they wanted to hear about Mexico. The food, the culture, my host family and what I learned. I told them I learned to slow down. I learned about the sabbath. I learned that I am truly loved by some wonderful people (more on that in the next paragraph). And I relearned how to just talk to God. My school was about one mile from my house and I walked to and from school twice a day. During most days, I would just pray while walking. Just talking with God asking Him to show me things to do and asking for opportunities to share and talk with people about Uganda. Coincidentally walking four times a day helped me lose 15 pounds!
My friends asked how they could get involved with IJM and I shared a few different options. Then I shared with them why I’m so excited to go. I started to tell them that it’s ironic that the work I will be doing will be helping protect widows and orphans from forces of oppression. It’s ironic because some of my #1 supporters are orphans. I have over 125 children and staff from an orphanage who have committed to pray for me daily. And I know they pray because they’re up at 4:30 am during the weekdays for morning prayer (6am on weekends). And the times that I have been there this fall, the children and staff would gather around and lay hands on me and pray. They would also pray for my friends G & P who are going to Uganda as well. But here’s where I usually tear up while telling the story. The directors of the orphanage asked the children to pray about supporting myself, G & P financially. He said ‘why can’t an orphanage give to missions and especially to people they have known for many years?’ When they finished praying, he asked how many would like to give their money. ALL the children raised their hands…
The director told me the story the next time I came to the orphanage and true to their word, they have given and will continue to give financially and pray daily. That’s one of the many reasons why I am so excited to go. I have orphans praying for orphans to be rescued. I have orphans giving financially to the cause so that I can be part of the fight to loosen the chains of injustice.
When I finished sharing the story, I saw these men tearing up as well. The guy who asked me to share about Africa in the beginning of the story said that he and his family are going to commit to pray and support me as well. All of this happened at the Irish Pub. This is one of those memories I will cherish and look back with fondness.