The Purpose Of A Burden

Wow, almost two weeks into Malaysia and I feel like so much has already been happening! If you read my last blog, you’d know that we have a lot of opportunities here. However, something I didn’t realize would happen with all these opportunities is the loud presence we would become in the community. And not exactly in a good way…

I wanted to write this blog to invite all of you into some of the realities of missions and struggles that you face when serving. To allow you to pray and come alongside my squad and me as we face some spiritual warfare in our community.

My squad and I are so blessed to have full days of multiple ministry opportunities and we’ve been loving all of it! But we also have seen a lot of doors open and close.

One of the main ministries we’re a part of is a refugee school for immigrant students. The Rohingya kids are not allowed to attend public or private schools in Malaysia, so our host, PT, started a ministry allowing them to get an education. Our role is to teach and tutor the students in the mornings. But the issue is these students are Muslims, and it is illegal in Malaysia for born Muslims to convert to another religion. So that also means it’s not allowed to evangelize to Muslims. Now, our main thing we do is teach them; we don’t directly share the gospel, but the police didn’t like that we were even in a church with the kids, let alone Christians teaching them. So they were moved into a new building that it seemed less suspicious, but the police are still unhappy with the school taking place in a Christian setting and want it shut down altogether. PT has opened up about his fear of the school closing down after it already took him two years to get it going, so he’s been seeking the Lord’s help in what to do. He told us that he was thinking of handing it over to his muslim friend, Bob, that way it wouldn’t have to be closed. We encouraged him that the Lord could use that to reach his friend to know Christ and then continue his plan with the school… But the problem now is we have such a public view with the police that other people in the community don’t want to be involved with us, afraid they’ll get in trouble with the police as well. So since, we’ve already had two opportunities shut down because of all this. And also with the change in buildings with the Rohingya school we’ve lost around half of our students because of the police activity.

I want you all to know I am totally safe and am at no risk myself but I tell you all this because my heart is breaking for how the enemy is attacking this ministry. He does not want these thirsty people to find living water. He wants them to continue to live for and believe a false reality that doesn’t produce everlasting life.

I desperately desire to share with them the Jesus who has transformed my heart. To invite them into a personal relationship with the Father. I pray to the Lord that He reveals Himself through visions and dreams to these people and that they come up to us and ask if we know who the “Man in white” is. Because it’s true- the Lord really does use visions and dreams to reach the Muslim community. If you have never heard of it, you should read the story of Nabeel Qureshi called Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. It really gives you an inward look on how the gospel is reached to these people and the way the Lord chases after them. But it also breaks your heart for the fear they must have in simply having questions. Because if they were to change their mind and not believe in Islam, then they would be risking everything if they were found out. I didn’t understand the gift I had in the freedom to practice any religion till I saw people fearing that they might lose it all because of theirs. I can’t even imagine.

As sad as this all is though, I do feel a sense of gratitude to be a part of it. To see how God is going to use these messy pieces and create something so beautiful. That I might get to see bold faith rise up in these people, and they turn their faces to the Lord.

I’m just constantly reminded by the Lord that what the enemy means for evil He’ll make for good. And I don’t have to understand to rest in that truth, that He’s over it all.

To close this I want to end with these wise words someone once told me… the purpose of a burden is so that you can come alongside them and pray. So take these words of mine and lift them right back up to God. I know He knows all that’s going on in Sungai Pentani, Malaysia, but He still wants us to bring these heavy things to Him. So come alongside my squad and me and ask the Lord for His faithfulness to be washed over these people. That He would become more real to them than anything this world has to offer! That He would give us wisdom with each step and show us what to do.