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Willingly committed to prayer
Louise Winston willingly committed to prayer advocacy for “B City” in China last December, at the invitation of her daughter-in-law, Cicily, who serves elsewhere among the East Asian Peoples. Winston shared the challenge with several Sunday School classes in her home church and was rewarded with the positive response of one other lady who committed to joining her in the task.
Four months later Winston actually had opportunity to walk the streets of the city! During a short visit there with her husband and son, they prayed for the city and utilized a simple survey tool to learn as much about the city as possible.
Since B City has relatively few foreign residents and visitors, the family found they were being observed as closely as they were observing others! During an evening meal at an outdoor noodle shop they had opportunity to interact informally with several passers-by including a one-year old girl who was unceremoniously handed into the arms of Winston’s husband. He played with the child while his wife snapped photos. Both the visitors and the local people enjoyed the moment.
Winston returned to the U.S. with memories of incense wafting through the air as it was offered before the shrines of two local heroes and the special foods that she had tasted. But most of all, she remembers the people. “The highlight was being with the families and the neighbors of B City during the evening after work was done and sight-seeing was over.”
She now knows better how to intercede for their salvation and interpret the city to others who can join in the task. The observations that she recorded may help smooth the path for those who hear the Father calling them to serve in the city.
Now on the field
Bruce Prince started interceding for “E City” in November of 2008. Less than three years later, he and his wife now live in another East Asian city, reaching out to the people and studying language full-time to equip them for future years of service.
Prince committed to prayer advocacy for a China city after attending a leadership training session at the Kentucky Baptist Convention office one weekend. “A brochure regarding the Priority Prayer Advocate program was included in the packet of materials,” he said. “Having already taken three vision and support trips to China, Father was already at work leading me to make more of a commitment to the work that He was doing in China.”
As the senior pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Kentucky, he shared the challenge with the Mission’s Committee. “The committee accepted and we began to pray for His leadership regarding which of two cities that had been suggested to us, He would have us adopt. After about a month we witnessed the Holy Spirit lead me (first) and then the committee to E City.
In early 2010, Prince visited the city to prayer walk and seek the Father’s direction for future involvement. He was to connect with two Christian workers who had already scouted out the city in preparation for his arrival. But a sudden emergency took them elsewhere and he found himself on his own. “The trip to E City solidified God’s call and my surrender. I found the people of E City receptive to my presence and the sharing of the Gospel.”
After returning to the U.S., Prince’s wife opened her heart to God’s leading to East Asia. Now they are living in East Asia. Prince said, “Even though our placement was not in E City, I continue to intercede for the city and its people that Father’s plan for them would come to pass.”
He reflected further, “It was a test of my faith, to follow Father’s leading no matter the cost. I don’t think that the doors would have been opened to us to come to the field full-time if I had not made the trip to E City. Father showed me on that trip how He would bless if I would step out in faith, answer His call to serve Him in wherever He wanted to open the door for us to serve.”
Prayers laying the foundation
In the fall of 2008, Celeste and Herb Hamilton were part of a Baptist congregation in Colorado when they began interceding for “T”, an East Asian mega-city. That was shortly after Faith Promise (Baptist) Church in Nashville, TN, began serving as prayer advocate for the same city.
Faith Promise had sent teams to serve among the East Asian Peoples in the past, but entered the prayer advocacy commitment because it desired a greater challenge. Before the end of 2009, the church had sent an initial team to T City. Within a short time, the team had the incredible joy of seeing a number of salvation decisions. They have continued to pray for the city and send additional teams.
Hamilton and her husband have now lived in close proximity to the T city since March, and travel in several times a month to build relationships and share the Good News. A very tangible answer to prayer, they will continue to partner with Faith Promise to make Christ’s name known throughout the vast city. “I think the prayers laid out before us from a fellowship we were not even aware of brought us to where we are now,” said Hamilton.
As Hamilton first entered the city, she was struck by the lack of color. “My first impression was that I was viewing this place in black and white … pollution and the winter landscape took out the color.” But meeting a Christian sister restored the color. “Chatting with her brought me to tears as I realized we were finally here for the first time, after over two years of praying for this place.”
Just do it!
So what would Hamilton say to an individual or church who is considering a prayer advocacy commitment? “As Nike says, ‘Just do it!’ The Father can use your prayers to bring missionaries to the field, prepare hearts for Him, and lay the groundwork needed in a place that so desperately needs light!”
And Prince? “Do it! No matter what the personal cost may be …If the Father is leading, He has a purpose and a plan for those entering into the partnership, as well as those that will be prayed for and ministered to.”
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