After graduating from college, I had hoped to serve God in missions. God fulfilled part of my dream by placing me at WorldVenture in the home office as an editor in our Communications Department. I help to tell the stories of God's work around the world, but never visited those places myself. Now, after working at the home office for the last 16 years, I got the opportunity to travel to Macau and assist WorldVenture missionaries.

Our team of eight helped staff the Student Life Center, a ministry our missionaries in Macau used to make connections with Chinese students. While there, we built relationships and spread the word of the center’s work.

One relationship I made was with a young woman who practiced English with me. In school she had been taught that all she needed to depend upon was herself. In Macau, people believed in God, but that was not what she believed. She respected the culture of others, but, for her, there was no God.

I said, “I believe in God.”

She graciously remarked her respect of my culture. She stressed in strong words that she only needed herself and that belief in God resided in a cultural expression. That it was not true for everyone.

I said, “God is real and he has power. I believe God reaches through culture seeking the heart of all peoples.”

Shortly before we left the field, I gave her a 365-day calendar with Bible verses on each page. I challenged her to ponder what the verses said. She had strong words against faith, but has asked many challenging questions of the staff at the center. Clearly, the Spirit is working in her hard heart.

On this trip I realized that much of God’s mission takes place in the waiting. Waiting for his children to seek to serve him. Waiting for people to listen to his quiet voice and then make a choice that will transform their lives.

God patiently spent 41 years preparing me for this. He waited until I was ready. I helped plant his seeds of faith — it was life changing; I better saw God’s heart for all peoples and found in my own heart, a greater love for missions. This short-term mission trip, regardless of the outcome in the lives of those I met, changed me.

Read the original post at http://www.worldventure.com/News-And-Prayer/Stories-Around-the-World/Stories/41 Years in the Making.html