Morning Star Christian Fellowship

“How far will God

travel…to bring

refreshment and

His love?

This was the question I asked over and over again to myself and Sarah Jane B. I asked it to friends and audiences during conversations and public presentations while in Coventry, Bangalore, Delhi, Gurgaon, Mokokchung, Kohima, Dimapur, and Enkoping, Sweden.

An ancient Hebrew Proverb reads, ”Like a cold glass of water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land.” The theme of this, my second, trip to India and Nagaland and Europe was this proverb. Early on in Coventry, England as we, Sarah Jane  and I, said our “first” of many goodbyes to our many hosts we were told, “Your visit refreshed us!” My reflection upon our effort and extent of travel caused me to meditate upon God’s effort expended in reaching human beings with His love.  After all, “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to give us everlasting life.” If there ever was a long distance traversed to refresh the souls of mankind it was Christ’s first missionary journey from heaven’s throne to earth’s soil.

God’s love produced the desire within me to refresh friends and strangers alike in the nations that we would visit. My timeline would extend across 41 days and 41 nights, over 24,000 miles on 11 different air flights. I slept in 7 different beds, ate 7 different cuisines, and drank from 7 local water sources (after boiling, of course!).  My carry-on and two luggage pieces were filled with clothing for 3 different cultures and 3 different climates. During travel slots within my itinerary I experienced several 24 hour periods with absolutley no sleep. One of the gifts given to me by the Lord were ”prayer nights”, all mentioned in my journal, during which 2 or 3 hours of sweet sleep met my need and the rest of the night was spent in intercessory prayer and worship. These nights I loved especially!

“Health is Number One!” – Ask Sarah Jane how often I declared this. When travelling in a developing nation staying healthy has to be on the top of the list.  Despite my lack of sleep and the arduous & rigorous schedule, excellent health was mine from start to finish! Your prayers for me were effective, my dear Morning Star family! “Beyond my human ability!” was a frequent thought and statement from my lips.

With regard to bringing refreshment, my target audiences were three: 1) Morning Star Mission partners in Mokokchung, Nagaland, India and specifically Tiala Ao, Moa & Sentila Jamir, and the administrators, staff, and students at the Nagaland Bible College and the Nagaland Children’s Residential School; 2) both current and prospective HOPE FOR CHANGE (www.H4Cinternational.org) partners; 3) those Indian and South Asia Christians who have experienced or who are experiencing human rights discrimination and suffering for living the Gospel message.

In 7 different locations I was given opportunity to speak about The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) to those who were previously unaware of such a day and such a global prayer event. On seven different occasions my listeners were held in rapt attention as I explained the breadth of modern-day religious persecution in fifty-five nations affecting 800 million Christian believers. Each one pledged to pray on Sunday, November 8, 2009 and to observe IDOP in coming years.

On IDOP Sunday I was in a church service in Enkoping, Sweden and given “as much time as I needed” to teach about IDOP, share a personal experience, and lead the congregation in prayer for persecuted Christians. In  my absence, Cynthia Peters graciously agreed to lead Morning Star’s annual observance during MSCF’s Sunday morning meeting. I thank Cindy for her heart and committment to this message and that, together, we both serve International Christian Concern (ICC) as volunteer representatives. In every location I left ICC’s  literature and web site address (www.persecution.org).

I did not have to think long about which of the numerous personal testimonies to share with the Enkoping congregation. While at the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Bangalore base on Tuesday night, October 13th, my last night there, a young woman named Mercy sat at my table during my last supper there. I had seen her earlier in the day as she was cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms in the YWAM Hospitality Suite. I noted that she had done a superb job and the whole place was immaculate.

Mercy poured her heart out to me and told me that her father’s life had been threatened twice, her family had to flee their home, and that her home was ransacked in their absence. Mercy was giving me a first-hand account of the horrific violence that broke out in Orissa State during late August and continued during all of September, 2008. During last year’s visit to India I had met a pastor and Christian brother who told me their own compelling personal tragedies.

Mercy’s faith was shaken, her mind filled with anxiety and stress, and she told me that she repeatedly asked the Lord, “Why was He allowing this persecution to come to her people?” and “Since You are allowing it, why are You not helping my people?”

One week later I was in Gurgaon in Haryana District outside of Delhi. It had been a week since checking my email. When I saw my incoming mail, there was an email from Mercy…MercyOrissa to be exact. She told me that my words to her had answered her two questions which had plagued her for thirteen months. My words were,”On November 8, 2009 Christians in thousands of American congregations would be praying for Indian Christians, that India was on top of my list for IDOP 2009, that audiences all the world over were learning about persecution because of what happened in Orissa State, and that the courage of the Indian Christians was an inspiration to all of us.”

This part of her email read, “You are such a blessing sis for me. After talking to you I feel so relaxed in my mind and in my body. Because from a long time I been filled with sadness and pain. But when I meet you my heart filled with joy. Because the whole (Christian) world is praying for me. Thank you for telling me that on november you people are praying for Orissa. Your sis MercyOrissa”

“Like a cold glass of water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land.” Proverbs 25:25

How far will God travel to bring His love, His refreshment, His peace? The answer that I have experienced is…as far as it takes.

In His grace always,

Sarah Anne Smith