Spring is coming and things will be growing again. Just like that, students on the campus are back as well and a new semester has begun. The beginning of a new semester carries a sense of hope, hope of what the Lord will be doing through me and the people He is calling to be part of His family! With that, there are a lot changes to give room so that there is a maximum amount of opportunities for sharing.
One of the things that my organization is doing this semester is moving all of the necessary meetings to one day rather than scatter them throughout the week. This semester has just started and I am already seeing the benefits of it. That gave all day to be on campus, praying, and training multiplying disciples. This gives extra time to connect and reconnect with people as well spending quality time with teammates rather than required time with them. Of course, this means that one day of the week, there is anextra amount of office work to do like catching up on emails and what not. This will actually benefit you greatly as well as you will know every Thursday Asia time, I will be checking my email, so if you write, you should get a reply within 7 days or less.
With the new semester, we are also starting something new that we as an organization have never done before. We call it, 24 hours in 30 days. Two to Three years ago, we felt that God had called us to pray like never before, we have been doing the best that we could, but there is a sense that God is calling us deeper into prayer. After much prayer in Thailand, we felt God was asking this organization to pray 24 hours every day consecutively for 30 days. This will mean that between Stateside and Asia, each person in the organization will need to be praying roughly 8 hours a week, but each time for two hours at a time. How is that for a radical praying like never before?
The idea is very exciting and big, at the same time, there is slight fear. I have to be honest, even though I am in ministry, I have never prayed eight hours a week. Sure there were many smaller prayers that we shot up into heaven between different sharing, discipling, and different situations, but never have I dedicated eight hours a week specifically. At the same time, I am so looking forward to it, I remember the last 24-hour prayer and fasting time, God answered some amazing prayers including within hours, people coming to know Him. So, the first 30 days of the semester is dedicated to seeking Him for direction and vision for the semester.
The other thing that has been on my heart this past semester is to find and volunteer at an orphanage for this semester. I found one, but I am having difficulty in connecting with them. This was due to various reasons including the New Year, where there was almost a month of break for most Asian people. Please pray for me, I really want this to work out where at some point during the week, I can spend and dedicate few hours to work with orphans and praying for them. Not only do I want to do this, I want to bring my Asian friends with me and volunteer with together with me. I want to set an example that care for orphans is a Biblical lifestyle and disciple them to care for the ones that societies do not care. To see that God’s heart is that no one should remain as an orphan and that all would call Him Abba Father.