Time flies and very soon we will be welcoming another year. As I reflect on the past months of 2023, I am overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus Christ for being who He claims to be…… faithful and just, a promise keeping God. While 2023 has not been the easiest year for me, it has also been a very humbling experience as I am reminded that as followers of Christ Jesus, we are not exempted from pain and suffering. Rather, at times, God allows us to go through challenges to transform us and refine our character.
As a mission agency, we are dependent on support from the local church and individual donors. With reports of slowdown in the economy and increasing cost of living, we started 2023 with some uneasiness. Particularly with concerns on how it would affect ministry support. Yet, instead of experiencing lack, God once again provided for all our needs. We can truly testify of the Lord’s goodness in sustaining and growing the work. For example, God brought three new members into our ministry, thus enabling us to expand our engagements with more churches. This helped to increase the number of prayer and financial partners. We launched the fund raising for another of our translation projects and received close to half of the required budget within a few months. We also witnessed God’s hand in bringing like-minded individuals who walked into our office, eager to understand and support our mission. For that, we are ever so grateful!
The events around the world today may cause us to be uneasy with the various uncertainties and political turmoil. But as Christmas draws near, we realign our focus again to the One Who came to bring hope for humanity, of baby Jesus, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Without His birth, there will be no Cross, without the Cross, there will be no Resurrection, without His Resurrection we are of all people, most pitied, unable to help and save ourselves. And so, as we celebrate Christmas this season, I pray that our hearts be encouraged and our faith strengthened as we are reminded again that Jesus came and gave us Hope when no one could.
A meaningful Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and your family!