*Please note, that the names in this blog have been changed, and specific locations omitted to protect the identity of our missionaries and their team who are serving Christ in a sensitive country.

John and Mary* have been serving with LMI as cross-cultural missionaries in Southeast Asia since September 2015. As it is coming up on their 10-year anniversary in the particular country in which they are working, we thought we’d sit down with them both to reflect upon and share some of their experiences and insights.

Having spent so long in their cross-cultural context and working across a number of ministry endeavours – from prison ministry, tribal outreach and discipleship, ministering to refugees and much more – they have gained tremendous knowledge and have grown in faith and grace. Whilst they state openly that they have no regrets from their missionary journey so far, as God has been able to use everything for His glory, there have been some major lessons they have learned along the way.

 

The Grace of God

When asked what advice they would give their younger selves if they could go back in time to just before they started working in Southeast Asia, Mary was quick to answer, reiterating that there is nothing that they would change about their time as cross-cultural missionaries. Her thoughts immediately turned to God’s grace. She recounted how faithful the Lord was in preparing both her and John, well before they even considered going to Southeast Asia, which is where Mary is originally from.

She reaffirmed the truth that we hear proclaimed throughout the Bible that we cannot live on our own strength, but only in the strength of the Lord. She has seen this first-hand, and it has greatly deepened her relationship with God. She said,

“When we think of our time as missionaries [to date], we always find ourselves rejoicing.”

The Lord’s hand has so clearly been over every part of John and Mary’s missionary journey, and they have relied on Him every step of the way. John echoed Mary’s thoughts. Although, he did have one piece of advice that he would share with his younger self:

“I would maybe be more prepared for the cultural differences [between Northern Ireland and __________*]. Particularly, working with Southeast Asian people, I have found that they are incredibly laid back, compared to what I was used to.”

John went on to explain that the difference in culture caused some confusion and frustration for him in the beginning. However, God took this potential obstacle to ministry and used it to develop a spirit of patience within John, a gift that is vital for every believer.

 

The Cost and Facing Fears

As our conversation went on, we began discussing any initial hesitations they had about serving Christ in another country. John and Mary both expressed how difficult it was to leave behind the beautiful family with which the Lord blessed them. Their children were grown up by the time they started their missionary service in Southeast Asia, but still, leaving them was painful.

“Even though they were technically adults, we worried about leaving our kids behind.” (John) 

John went on to explain that raising support was another thing that concerned them initially, as is the case with so many in similar situations. He noted that the Lord has always been faithful to them in providing the funds they need to serve Him in mission. Their home church has always been good to them and incredibly supportive of their work in Southeast Asia. Even still, the fears remain and creep back into their minds in moments of weaker faith. 

“We always had good support, but there was a lingering concern as to whether it would stay good.”(John)

Another fear that John and Mary had going into their missionary journey in Southeast Asia was centred around the mystique of the B people – the tribe that the Lord had placed on their hearts to reach. For a number of reasons, very little is known about the B people, even amongst the native Southeast Asian population. This is, in part, due to the remote area in which they reside. Even with the guidance of Pastor Joel*, their ministry partner, John and Mary really struggled to locate the B people. It was only with the assistance of an Indigenous B man that they met on the side of the road that they were finally able to track the people group down.

John speaks about the fear of the B people in ___________. He said, 

“When we spoke to some of the Christians in Southeast Asia about the B tribe, they all thought we were crazy. There is a mystique around the B tribe that frightens people. They are all afraid of [the tribe] because they practice magic.”

 

Gospel Partnership

Throughout all of their stories of fear and concern, the couple reiterated that Pastor Joel – a local church pastor in the main area where they are based and their key ministry partner – was a great help to them, both at the beginning of their missionary journey and now, ten years on. John affirms,

“If we didn’t have Joel, we probably wouldn’t have gone.”

It is clear that this God-ordained partnership with Pastor Joel has spurred them on and enriched their ministry. In fact, without Joel and the wider Southeast Asian team that the Lord has raised up to work alongside them, the impact and reach of the Gospel work would be greatly diminished. Their co-workers not only enable them as a team to achieve much more than would be physically possible with just two people, but they continue the ministry endeavours when John and Mary return on home leave for a few months each year to raise awareness and support for the work in Northern Ireland.

This speaks powerfully to the overarching theme that is woven throughout every area of their missionary journey: God’s faithful provision for His people, through His people.

 

In Whose Strength

Serving cross-culturally in a different country requires a complete life change, one that can only be made in the strength of our good and gracious God. The prospect of moving to an unfamiliar place can be incredibly daunting, but, for John and Mary, every moment has been well worth any challenges that have come their way.

One word that is ever-present in any conversation with the couple about their mission work is ‘privilege’. Their time serving the Lord has given them a true and practical understanding of Philippians 1:29 (ESV), which says:

“For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in Him, but also by suffering for Him”.

 

If you enjoyed this peak behind the curtain of the lives of our cross-cultural missionaries, you’ll be pleased to know that this is just part one! Keep an eye on our blog for the second part of this missionary series to learn even more about Mary and John’s incredible journey.