Why would I eat ox foot, pig intestines or cow stomach? Because the Asian culture is very hospitable and the hosts watch everything we eat—or not eat. Of course we were asked many times to eat up everything that was served, which was not easy with 15-course meals served. Our hosts took us to very nice restaurants and
we also got to enjoy some home cook meals when we were invited to homes.
We left for China on the 8th of June and arrived in S-city 3 days later. On our last
trip there we started to connect with a church, but were very limited to the number of people allowed to come to church meetings and teach. So I only got to go to one prayer meeting.
This time it was very different. We had traveled 3 days, just got settled in our hotel, went out for lunch and started to rest when Barb heard a knock on her door. When she opened the door it was the leader from the local church that we had met last time. Barb and Vincent were asked to teach at a Bible study.
They both still had dripping wet hair from the shower and no time to prepare. After that they were asked to teach at various church meetings every single night, sometimes twice a day. We never knew where we were going until we got to our destination.
Before we got to S-city we had a real short orientation at YWAM Hong Kong. Joe, a YWAM staff member, had said that many teams go out to China on Outreaches from Hong Kong. The first thing they ask a new believer is if he/she wants to hear God speak to them. So we took that example and followed it, with success.
One personal experience was at an English Corner for Kids from 1st grade through
college level. After we had gone through our program, the little kids left. (In China you are not allowed to witness to children under 18) That’s when Barb put aside the microphone and started sharing the gospel. Two boys and a girl came up to me while Barb was sharing and asked me if I was a believer too. So I got to share my testimony. I told them that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that we communicate. I asked them if they wanted to hear Him too and they agreed to pray with me. I asked Vincent and Melissa to help me pray for them. After I while I asked if they heard the Lord speak anything to them, and they girl said:” I’m not sure if it’s me or not but I heard "I’m here. I’m here." All three gave their lives to the Lord that night.
God had planned this trip from the beginning. He had planned out every detail.
All of us had to come up with the finances and yet God made sure we had more than enough. We hardly had to pay for any food. (So we gave our food budget money, plus some extra, toward helping the poor and needy there.) Each of us had enough prayer coverage to hold back the works of the enemy. Jesus Christ had set up multiple divine appointments ahead of us, and it was as if we just walked right into them. The doors were that wide open. Praise God!
