How in the world do I start?

We want to find ways to reach out and help the people around us, but whether we’re in the United States or in a remote place around the world, sometimes we don’t know how to really help.  We may have our ideas and plans, but how do the local people feel about it? I recall . . .

As we entered this particular village we were surrounded mostly by senior adults and very young children.  Adult children have often migrated to the city to earn more money, so their children are sometimes left in the grandparents’ care.   We were asked to work in this specific area because they had a shortage of workers.  So our team looked around to meet the local leaders and understand things a little better.  As we observed the people in the village, some of their needs seemed obvious to us, but not necessarily obvious to them.  One quick glance made us realize how Betel nut had influenced this area.  Betel nut has been a mainstay crop in this area for generations and is marketed outside the area, but is also used widely by the local people.   The government is trying to assist in changing out the crops in order to better the peoples’ lives and deter them from using it.  It is mostly consumed in Asia, and is an addictive psycho-stimulating and euphoria-inducing formulation with some challenging health effects.  It often results in jaw problems, oral cancer, drug abuse and tooth decay.  Even older teenage boys often have permanent teeth that are loose and decaying.  They can’t even chew food very well.

Our team also discovered that oral hygiene education historically has not typically been part of the culture, and even care of teeth for small children was not necessarily practiced at home.  Consequently, many of the preschoolers also have black decaying teeth, already victims of a war with tooth decay.  At the time, there was no medical clinic in the area, and that was one way they felt that we could assist them. Thankfully, medical personnel in the country immediately saw the need and responded.  The people looked forward to having a clinic.  However, most of the local people saw no real need for a regular dentist to be available.  After all, you only go to see him when you need to have your teeth pulled.  At that time they didn’t see the importance for preventative dental care.  Fortunately, local leaders worked with the people to establish oral hygiene education in the local schools and assist families.  With the passing of time, it is possible for change to take hold in a community.

I thought a lot about that experience.  We felt that we saw a need . . . but the people in the village didn’t see that as a real need at all.  You know . . . sharing Jesus is like that too, isn’t it?  We’ve experienced something so life changing — peace and strength beyond anything that we could explain, but communicating that to people may take some time as we build relationships.  For some, things happen quickly, but for others, they are still seeking to understand.

We’re asking God to give us better understanding as we try and stand in their shoes, see things from their perspective and communicate God’s awesome love in a way that connects.  That’s our prayer.

Hopeless . . . helpless . . .

Hopeless . . . helpless . . . and no way out!  Glimpses of some of the Hokkien people whom we have met . . .

A young mother brought her small child to a mobile clinic.  She was a foreign bride, and was unable to communicate in the local language with the medical staff.  She looked so lost and disconnected, and her child was listless.  She had no idea that her child had pneumonia.

On a trip in a hostel where we were staying, a mother and father were grieving the loss of their young daughter — no cure for her disease.  This journey had twisted their lives and taken their breath away.  Desperate . . .

Getting to know our new community in a huge city, I realized that we lived next door to a brothel.  Young girls were trapped in a world with seemingly no way out . . .

A mentally challenged father in our community was abused by co-workers and his family and didn’t even realize what they were doing.  Co-workers tricked him into gambling away his pay, and he never saw it coming.  He married a lady who had continual extra-marital affairs. He also had no clue. Three children were all fathered by different men.  This family of 5 lived with his parents and stayed in one small filthy room that reeked with the smell of dirty disposal diapers. They worshipped the earth god hoping to escape this life of desparation.  The oldest son was rebellious and failing in school, and even in early elementary school was turning to gang type acquaintances.

A friend worked hard to bring in outside money and provide additional income for her family.  She had labored and sacrificed for years. Their two sons were a real challenge — school problems and prison were part of the journey.  The daughter was a bright spot and very succesful.  Suddenly life for our friend just collapsed.  After years of marriage, she learned that her husband had a new family in another country. Depression and helplessness ate away at her . . .

Among the Hokkien, we often hear people say, “We leave in a bitter sea.”  The thought for many is — give up, why keep going on . . . OR hope that through reincarnation I’ll get a better deal in life next time around.  Fatalistic destiny . . .

Just like multitudes of people around the world, many Hokkien people are scarred and battered by life’s journey.

Jesus said that he came to bring life, not just any life, but life that is abundant and filled with meaning.  (John 10:10)  Pray that Christian believers will have the wisdom and compassion to share God’s love and bring hope to hopeless Hokkien people.

A Passion for TRUTH

One day while we were hanging out together, my friend, *Miss D, asked me a very pointed question.  “If I don’t follow Jesus, will you still be my friend?”  I was kind of taken back, but honestly told her that without a doubt, we would be friends forever.  At the time, she was really searching for TRUTH with so many thoughts going through her mind.  The whole idea of following Jesus was new to her, and she had lots of questions.

Friendships always open opportunities to show concern for each other.  One day Miss D shared she was worried about her sister, *May-May, and felt that people had taken advantage of her.  Things weren’t going well for her family.  and it was hard for them to get money to stretch from paycheck to paycheck.  May-May said that they worked hard, but no matter what they did nothing seemed to go right for them.  Things were really falling apart.  So her sister did what her family had done for years — she went down to her local religious center to ask for help.  She wanted to know how she could turn their situation around.  In her words, they had bad luck and wanted to change that into good luck.  The leader of the religious group listened and suggested that it could be bad Feng Shui.  (Feng Shui is the Chinese art or practice of positioning objects, especially graves, buildings, and furniture to bring harmony and balance in life.)  He checked out their house and said that the only way to turn things around would be to make some changes in their design, and that would certainly do the trick.  His advice was quite expensive.  Even though they really didn’t have the money to make the changes, they felt they had no choice.  BUT . . . after making the adjustments, nothing changed, so they went back to the leader for more help.  Believe it or not, the leader gave them the same answer.  The Feng Shui wasn’t exactlly right and they would have to make some additional corrections.  However, nothing changed!!!  Our friend, Miss D, observed all that May-May and her family were experiencing.  She herself had followed this same religious teaching all of her life, and she continued to question  and search for answers.  What is religion?  What is actual Truth?  Over time that search led her to follow Jesus. People around the world are bombarded with so many different entities who claim to have the truth.  We have to be honest, few of us want to abandon the traditional ways of our family and ancestors.  It’s prudent to have respect for tradition, but essential to have a passion for the TRUTH.  Pray for Hokkien people to have that passion!  Ask the Father to increase our faith and give us strength to  stay true to our desire to pursue the Truth.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Man what a bold statement and definitely one worth checking out!   (*names changed)