The family vacation that could have ended with a drowning... but God!

 I have two sisters who live abroad and whenever one or both of them come to Trinidad, especially if they come for Christmas, we would plan to spend a few days in Tobago as a family. In recent years, it seems like Tobago has become more and more popular as a Christmas getaway for families from Trinidad, so it is difficult to get flights and accommodation, and there are more people on the beaches. When we my sister and her family planned to come home for Christmas last year, we decided to do something different and stay in a guesthouse in Blanchisseuse instead.

With a backyard pool and view of the sea it was the
perfect vacation spot

We began our journey on Christmas Eve, stopping off in Maracas on the way for bake and shark. The cousins played in the sand and got their toes wet on the shore. By the time we got to the guest house and unpacked they were ready to jump into the pool, where they stayed until dinner time. I don't have data on my phone and the wi-fi was not working properly, so I decided to use the opportunity to disconnect from the virtual world and focus on spending time with my family who were there with me. After the cousins went to bed, the Mummies wrapped Christmas presents while I entertained myself testing my brother-in-law's knowledge of Trini words and sayings. It was hilarious seeing his reaction when he realized that 'goat mout' had nothing to do with the mouth of a goat!

View from my bedroom window

The cousins arose bright and early on Christmas morning. My nephew was incredulous when he asked me where was the Christmas tree and I told him there was none LOL. We had devotions with them then we indulged in a luscious Trini Christmas breakfast complete with pastelles and ham and chow chow. The cousins opened their presents and played with them until it was time to go to the beach. We went first to the Spring Bridge, then settled at Marianne beach where the river entered the sea. We had a ball being slammed by the waves in the sea, and then plunging in the freezing cold river. The cousins thoroughly enjoyed catching tadpoles in the river and placing them in the aquarium they had made. When we returned home, they went straight into the pool until it was time for dinner. It was a wonderful water-filled day.

Devotions in the pool

Getting ready for the waves

Making sure the tadpoles don't escape

On Boxing Day we went on a hike to Avcoa waterfall. It took a bit longer with the children, especially when the path along the river was steep or we had to cross the river, but when we arrived it was all worth it. We had the waterfall all to ourselves and it was so peaceful being able to absorb the wonder of God's creation. When we returned to base, our gracious hosts provided us with a delicious lunch of dhal and rice and bhagi and the best curry chicken that my brother-in-law has ever tasted. We ended the day with more pool time until it got dark.

Green and serene

So happy to have had two of my siblings
along for the adventure (missed you Kathy!)

The last day was my niece's 8th birthday. She began her day opening birthday presents, and we headed to the pool after breakfast until it was time to pack up. On the way back home, we planned to stop off at Las Cuevas beach for a quick dip, but when we got there the car park was full and overflowing so we decided to head to Maracas beach instead. Just before we got there, my brother turned off at Tyrico Bay and asked me what I thought. The water looked calm and there were not a lot of people so we decided to stay there instead. That decision could have meant the difference between life and death for a family we had never met.

Getting ready to head into the water

Two of the cousins came into the water with four of the adults, while the other two played in the sand. It was mostly calm but every so often a wave would come that would lift us off our feet and put us back down. After a while, my brother took my nephew out to join his cousins on the sand, and my niece decided the waves were too rough so she went out. Shortly after, I heard a voice behind me saying "Mama! Go in!" When I turned there was a lady who was clearly not touching the bottom, and three others (her children) who were further out. I asked if she needed help and she didn't answer but by the look on her face she clearly did so I grabbed her hand and started swimming with her to shore. She kept saying, "My children! My children!" but my brother had gone to help them so I kept assuring her that they would be okay. My sister went to get help but there was nothing that anyone on the shore could have done.

Thankful to God that all the children were safe
on shore so we could have helped the family in distress

While I was swimming, I just kept praying that the lady I was helping would not start to panic because then I would have had to leave her. It took us a while to get to shore but God gave me the strength and we made it. It was only when I sat on the shore trying to catch my breath that it fully registered that we had been caught in a current. Meanwhile my brother had advised the lady's children to float on their backs and thank God they eventually drifted out of the current and were able to ride the waves to come back to shore. The family expressed their gratitude for what we had done for them, as they realized that what started off as a fun day on the beach could have ended very differently for them. I used the opportunity to share with them how I felt it was God who directed us to be on that beach at that time to help them, and also to share the gospel with them. I pray that the experience would cause them to surrender their lives to Jesus so whenever they do lose their earthly lives, they would be able to live eternally with God.

Our family vacation could easily have ended
very differently... but God!

Every morning when I have my devotions, I write one item of praise, and one item of prayer. Every day of our vacation, my prayer item was for safety: safety on the journey to Blanchisseuse, safety on the beach, safety on the hike, and safety on the journey home. God faithfully answered everyone of those prayers, and for that I am eternally grateful. I am also grateful for our parents, who never learnt how to swim themselves, but recognized the value of this skill so they ensured that we all learnt it at an early age. I do not know what lies ahead for our family in 2025, but I know that once we remain in tune with the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can rely on His faithfulness to see us through.

Enjoying our Christmas dinner

Having a Jesus Christmas!

Christmas has different meanings for different people. For some it is a time of gathering with family and loved ones. Others enjoy the hustle and bustle of putting their house in order and decorating. There are those who love shopping for others and are captivated by the lights and decorations on display. Then there is the food and music that is celebrated as a 'Trini Christmas'. Many Christians use the opportunity to share with others the message of Jesus coming to earth in the form of a human. This was necessary so He could pay the death-penalty for our sins, allowing those who put their trust in Him to have eternal life. This was the message that we shared with the children who came out to our Bible Club Closing Program early in December.

The regular attendees always invite their friends

For our church's Sunday School Christmas program, I was asked to share on the true meaning of Christmas. I was led to examine the biblical account of Jesus' birth, and to look at how those present responded to the news that Jesus was born. After seeing Jesus, the shepherds ran to share the news of His birth with others; the children were similarly challenged to share the message of Jesus' coming to earth with their friends. Just as the wise men brought gifts, the children were encouraged to give the gift of their lives to Him, and the gift of sharing His love with others by helping those in need.

Playing a game with the Sunday School children

Our church held a 'Carols by candlelight' service where we sang traditional Christmas carols but also songs of worship celebrating Christ. We were encouraged to invite our loved ones and the church was packed with regular attendees and visitors alike. There was an opportunity to gather in small groups and pray for one another. A clear presentation of the gospel was given, and an invitation was given for those who did not have a relationship with Jesus to commit their lives to Him. Someone I invited shared how she experienced a sense of peace at the service, something that she treasured after having experienced a particularly challenging year.

Doing one of the scripture readings

We normally celebrate someone's birth by giving them presents, but what can we give to the God of the universe? In Matthew 25:37-40 we are told that when we feed the hungry or clothe the needy or visit the sick, we are doing these things to the Lord. Our church distributes hampers to those in need during the year, but a great effort is made around this time of year to make them extra special so the recipients can feel the love of Christ. We also have the opportunity to pray for and encourage the families we deliver them to.

These hampers went all the way down south
along with gifts for the families with children

This year may we all experience not just a 'Merry Christmas' but a 'Jesus Christmas' - one in which He is central to our focus in terms of how we spend our time, how we live our lives, and how we dedicate ourselves to His serivce.

That time I was almost admitted to the psychiatric ward

On Friday 15th March 2024 I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 1 at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt. Hope. This diagnosis was given because I was having a manic episode, where my mood was elevated to a degree that my loved ones knew was not my normal behaviour. I was more talkative and loud than usual, had higher levels of productivity where I was constantly working towards completion of my goals, had racing thoughts and a seemingly unlimited supply of ideas, and had not been sleeping properly for at least six weeks prior. There are a number of factors that act as triggers of Bipolar disorder including stressful events such as the death of a loved one. This is my story of how I got there...

This picture was taken a few days before
I went to the hospital

This year didn't begin on a very happy note for me. A close friend lost her father early in January. Another friend's father was very sick with cancer. Someone who I adopted as a father when my father died in 2021 was hospitalized with a serious health challenge, and surgery was not an option for him because of his age (94). I started reflecting on my life because this year was my 45th birthday, and I really don't have a desire to live until I get to be 100, so I figured my life was halfway done. I started to think about what I wanted to do with the other half of my life and the ideas just started pouring in. It was around this time that I started having difficulty sleeping at nights. I would go to bed but only sleep for 2 or 3 hours at a time. During this time of sleepless nights is when I developed the ideas for this blog that I shared on my 45th birthday 45 experiences over 45 years

I assumed that my insomnia was linked to the deaths earlier this year, because I had the same experience when Daddy died. I figured that since it was part of the grieving process, it would eventually go away. My medical doctor told me I sounded stressed and that I needed to slow down and pace myself. I slowed down as much as I could in the midst of planning Ekklesia camp, and after camp was over I took some beach therapy with my family. The beach is my happy place, and I found out that it is scientifically proven to help with relaxation, from the salt in the water and the air to the sound and movement of the waves.

Beach and sunset - what could be better?

The following week I joined ISCF for their school tours. We visited schools that either had an ISCF group, or were planning to start an ISCF group, and put on a program that included songs, drama, dance and testimonies. At the end of the program, the gospel would be shared, and the names of those who responded to the salvation call would be passed on to the ISCF clubs in the schools for follow up. After one of these presentations, a student from one of the schools shared some personal information with me, and I was advised that I needed to make a police report about it. I was traumatized by that experience, both by the treatment I received when the report was made, but also because felt like I was betraying the student's confidence, since they had confided in me. It was at this point that the symptoms of the manic episode became out of control.

When I could not sleep at night, I would get up and 
start writing my thoughts to get them out my head

I started calling people to tell them what had happened, going into details, but also jumping from story to story, so each phone call would last an average of two hours long. I was also very emotional, and would easily break down in tears. I would send a barrage of WhatsApp messages or long voice notes to my friends. I became loud and demanding. I said hurtful things to those closest to me. They tried to tell me that something was wrong with me, but I was convinced that they were just trying to stop me from the work God had called me to do. Everyone who was close to me was concerned about me, and no one knew what to do. But God did.

With Mother Dearest and her daughter Sadie after church

Sadie is a medical doctor who is furthering her medical studies in England. Long before I started experiencing any symptoms of bipolar disorder, Sadie booked her ticket to come to Trinidad to visit her family and friends, and it was the same week when my symptoms got out of control. Five minutes after meeting me she told her mother that I was having a manic episode, and needed to be taken to the hospital. Because of her experience working on the psychiatric ward, she recognized the symptoms right away and knew what needed to be done. For that entire week she listened and said nothing while I rambled on and on, and at the end of the week she said I needed to go to the hospital and I went without a fuss.

They put me on medication to calm me down so I could sleep

My friends and family really rallied around me during this time. Joey took me the hospital and Sadie explained to the doctors what was going on. Joey and Mother and stayed with me until Mummy could come up to be with me. My spirit sister and her husband drove all the way from Point Fortin and spent all night in the carpark waiting until they knew what was happening. The doctors did a CT scan and ran some blood tests before making the diagnosis. The doctors wanted to admit me to the psychiatric ward for observation, but I begged to be allowed to go home, and promised I would rest and take the medication if I was discharged. They were concerned about if Mummy would be able to handle the burden of taking care of me in my condition, but when she showed them how much support we had, they reluctantly agreed to let me go home.

In my own bed the day after my diagnosis instead
of having to be warded in a mental institution

Mummy was due to travel to the States the following week, but she pushed back her flight to ensure that I was in a stable place. I started having sessions with my psychologist to talk through the triggers that lead to my manic episode, and also to deal with unresolved issues I had from the past. She advised me to slow down on my ministry activities until my brain had a chance to rest and heal. I had regular visits with my psychiatrist to ensure that my body was responding well to the medication. When Mummy eventually had to leave, my sister Kathy came from England to stay with me until she returned.

We got to spend three glorious days in Tobago

I am so grateful to God for sparing me the additional trauma of being placed on a psychiatric ward, even though I had been diagnosed with a mental illness. I was able to be loved on and cared for by my immediate and extended family, and friends who are family. I was able to have the freedom to come and go as I pleased, without being restricted by hospital regulations. I was able to make regular visits to the beach, which has now become not just my happy place, but also my place of healing. I am also grateful to those who prayed me through when they found out about my diagnosis, and those who would check in with me on a regular basis. 

My little sister also supported even though she 
wasn't physically here

I am doing much better now; I am no longer on the antipsychotic medication, only on a low dosage of mood stabilizers. My speech and behaviour are back to normal, and my thoughts no longer keep me up at nights. I am believing God for a full and complete recovery. I have learnt a lot of lessons along this journey, which I will share in a subsequent blog post. I shared this verse to encapsulate what 2023 meant for me, but it is still very relevant to my experiences this year:

Psalm 71:20

Though you have made me see troubles,

    many and bitter,

    you will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

    you will again bring me up.

Adventures in South Korea

When I decided that I would be attending the Fourth Lausanne Gathering in South Korea I did not know how I was going to get there; I left that up to God. I knew from past experience that if He wanted me to be somewhere, He would make the way possible and take care of the details. The first detail He had to take care of was the conference fee. There was a discount of $100US if this fee was paid before the end of 2023. I did not share this with anyone, so imagine my surprise when, in November 2023, one of my ministry partners presented me with a financial gift that enabled me to pay the entire registration fee! This was the first sign that God was providing for me to attend this Gathering.

I loved exploring the green spaces close to the Convention
Center before the start of the sessions each morning

Since I knew for sure now that I was going, I started sharing with persons who were close to me about my plan to attend the conference in South Korea. In February when I shared it with one friend, she said that God had laid it on her heart to give me a certain amount of money and she was not sure why; talk about God answering before we even call! I told her that I still needed to pay for accommodation, and I didn't know it at the time because I had not booked the hotel as yet, but the amount she gave was sufficient to cover the cost!

View of the sunrise from outside my hotel window

I started getting excited because now all that was outstanding was the airfare, and I already had one supporter who committed to covering half of the journey. However in March I received a health diagnosis that made it uncertain whether or not I would still be in a position to attend the Gathering. By God's grace, supported by the prayers of the saints and the help of the medical professionals, I was declared fit to travel by May, so my tickets were booked and in September I was on my way to South Korea! (During that period another supporter had offered to pay for the other half of my journey 😁)

Being greeted by some character in the airport at Incheon

Because of the number of participants in the Gathering, we were staying at different hotels which were scattered around Incheon, and I did not know of any of my friends who were staying at my hotel. After checking in and taking my bags up to the room, I went to the basement to get something to eat. It was late, so when I finished I was about to head back up to my room but I felt prompted to stop off in the lobby. Imagine my surprise when I saw my friend Martha from Papau New Guinea whom I had not seen since the Younger Leaders Gathering in Indonesia eight years ago! We had kept in touch over the years and she has been such a wonderful support to me, praying for me and encouraging me in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else in Trinidad was fast asleep.

It was such a joy to see her in person

The next morning we met up for breakfast, and at the table we sat at we met Liliana from Colombia. She had come in the day before, spent the day exploring Seoul, and was planning to go out again to see other tourist attractions. We were very elated to hear this, because we wanted to go sight seeing too but had no idea where to go! She was happy for us to accompany her and took us to change currency and get travel cards and soon we were on the train headed into Seoul.

It was Martha's first time on a train 😊

We didn't speak a word of Korean but thankfully we live in an age of technology 😏 Using apps we were able to navigate to our first location - Myeondong market - which was packed with stalls selling everything you could think of from food to clothing to electronics to jewelry. We browsed and bought souvenirs to take back home. We were also brave enough to try Korean street food and it was really delicious.

Trying ah ting wit de people dem chopsticks

Koreans are so helpful to tourists. After we finished at the market, we wanted to visit the Namsan Tower but the directions were kind of confusing. We asked someone for help but the translation app wasn't doing a very good job in enabling us to understand what he was saying. When he realized we were clueless, he decided to lead us in the direction of our destination, which was in the opposite direction that he was headed in! The Namsan Tower is located at the top of a mountain, which you can either choose to walk up, or take a cable car to get to the top. It was so peaceful riding above the tree tops, and the view from the top was incredible.

Taking in the view at the top

Our last stop for the day was Starfield Library which was located in the middle of a huge shopping mall. This library is popular for its 13 meter tall bookshelves and over 50,000 books and magazines available for reading. After checking out the library we had dinner then headed back to our hotel. It was late when we got the bus to take us to the hotel and we were the last people on it, so we were talking and laughing until the bus driver said, "Excuse me, could you speak softer please?" It was then that we realized that their culture was not as boisterous as ours. It was a good thing we were almost at our hotel because we had to fight the urge to laugh out loud for getting buffed from a Korean bus driver 😂

Escalator in the middle of Starlight library ands
bookshelves all the way to the ceiling!

On the last day of the conference, we had half a day to do some more exploring. This time, Martha and I were joined by Sindy from Guadeloupe. We decided to take a bus tour around Incheon instead of going back into Seoul since we all had early morning flights the next day. One of the volunteers from the conference was very helpful in directing us to where we had to meet the tour bus, and we went to the top deck so we could get a good view of the architecture as we drove past it.

Massive skyscrapers

We decided to get off at the fourth stop which was the beach, and just spend some time relaxing there and enjoying nature. It was a beautiful place to pause and be at peace after the hectic pace of the conference. When it started getting late, we headed back to our hotel and went to a nearby restaurant to check off one item from my bucket list - eating Korean Barbecue in Korea! It was fun cooking our meal, but the serving size was so huge we struggled to finish it all.

Photoshoot at the beach

Waiting for the barbecue to cook

There was a bit of drama the next morning when I was about to leave the hotel to go to the airport. When I went outside to meet the shuttle, I was informed that it was full and there was no room for me, Sindy and a couple others. I was annoyed because I had booked my space in the shuttle long in advance, and I was sure that there were people in the bus who had come at the last minute. Sindy calmed me down enough to help me realize that we had options, so we called an Uber and were able to make it to the airport in  time.

Saying goodbye at the airport; I now have a friend
who lives in France 😁

It was actually more time consuming for me to leave South Korea than when I arrived. First I had to prove to them that I had a return ticket to Trinidad (since I had a Trinidad and Tobago passport but was boarding a flight to the UK). Then there were three sets of lines that we had to pass through before getting to the gates. I am thankful that I didn't take up the hotel's offer of waiting until the airport shuttle dropped off the passengers it had and then returned for me, because I surely would have missed my flight. Initially I was apprehensive about sight-seeing in South Korea because I didn't know anyone to take me around and I wasn't sure that I would be able to navigate on my own but God provided a Colombian, a Papaun and a Guadeloupean to ensure that I was not alone on my adventures there 😊

Dragon design on the Sungnyemun Gate 
which was part of the Seoul City wall

Ten things I enjoyed about the Fourth Lausanne Gathering in South Korea

 1. Reuniting with my friends from all around the world

Although this was my first time attending a multi-generational Lausanne Gathering, I attended two Gatherings for Younger Leaders (under the age of 35) in 2006 and 2016. There were some persons from the Gathering in 2016 that I had remained connected to over the past 8 years, and it was wonderful to reconnect with them to share stories and pray with one another. There is no telling when next we would be physically in the same place at the same time so I valued the hugs and the meals we were able to share together.

Some were missing from this picture, but this group of
ladies will always have a special place in my heart

2. The times of worship

There is something powerful about worshiping with persons from different countries - it gives you a taste of what heaven would be like. During the morning sessions we were led by Keith and Kristyn Getty (they wrote the classic hymn "In Christ Alone") and in the evening sessions there was a combined worship team from different Korean churches. One highlight for me was the evening when three participants started dancing together in a circle; one by one other women joined until there were about twenty of us dancing and enjoying God's presence together.

Hearts united in worship

3. The stories

For each of the main sessions, there were presenters from different countries who shared their experiences in relation to the theme. It really helped the presentations to come alive when we could hear from persons' real-life experiences. It also gave us insight into how we could apply the presentations to our own contexts when we returned home. The stories from those who survived persecution for their faith were particularly powerful and memorable for me.

Panelists sharing how their display Christ in the workplace

4. The volunteers

One thousand believers from churches all around South Korea made themselves available to serve as volunteers for the conference and they were simply incredible! Each morning we were greeted with warm, smiling faces as they welcomed us to the convention center. They kept their cool when directing the hundreds of persons to the dining room for meals, or to the bus shuttles that would take us to our hotels. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that we had a smooth and enjoyable conference experience.

You could feel the love of Jesus oozing through them

5. The organizers

To pull off a conference of this magnitude the organizers would have started planning years ago. From selecting a venue to collaborating with hotels and airlines for discounts, securing visas and letters of invitation, renting all the equipment and furniture that was used, printing all the materials, training all the volunteers, feeding the participants twice a day and so much more. The organizers did an exceptional job in managing the logistics to ensure there was a smooth flow for the entire week.

Team working behind the scenes

6. The collaborations

Before the conference started we were invited to choose a gap that needed to be filled if we were to advance the Great Commission. After lunch we met in groups according to the chosen gaps to discuss what was working, what wasn't working, to brainstorm strategies for how we could collaborate to close these gaps. The outcomes from these discussions were uploaded to an application, and participants were encouraged to share about future collaborations that came about as a result of our discussions.

Discussing how we can reach the next generation

7. The new connections

There were so many opportunities to meet and have conversations with participants - from the bus rides between the hotel and the convention center to the meal times to the breaks in between the formal sessions. These interactions were always refreshing; it was lovely to hear about how God was using persons to work in other parts of the world and to learn about their cultures and to share about mine.

We met on the bus on the way to the convention 
center and decided to go for a walk in a nearby park
before the conference started

8. The unity

In our study based on the book of Acts, one of the facilitators mentioned that the early Church grew so quickly because of their unity, and that there is supernatural synergy that is activated by unity. It was tremendous to see persons lay aside denominational differences and focus on what we agree on as we worked together that week. The highlight for me was when church leaders from Japan and South Korea (whose countries were at war 400 years ago) united to lead us in communion on the final night of the congress.

United in communion

9. The diversity

The 5000 in-person participants and hundreds of virtual participants were all carefully selected by the Lausanne selection committee to ensure there was a diversity of countries and ages represented, and that there was a healthy male to female ratio as well. There was also a balanced mix of countries from the various regions who were presenters, which helped to give a beautiful picture of the global church.

My collaboration group was a perfect example of
the diversity that existed in the congress

10. The culture 

I loved the way that the Korean culture was incorporated throughout the congress. During worship, they taught us a couple songs in Korean. They served Korean food during the meal times, complete with chopsticks! On the cultural day, there was a booth where we could dress up in their cultural wear. On one of the evenings, there was a heart-warming presentation of the history of the Church in Korea.

Dressed in a hanbok

These are just some of the things that made the Lausanne Gathering in Seoul so special and memorable to me :)

Let the Church declare and display Christ together!

In September 2024 I had the privilege of attending the fourth Lausanne Gathering in Seoul, South Korea. The first gathering was held in Lausanne, Switzerland 50 years ago. It was started by Billy Graham to bring together Christian influencers who have a passion for evangelism to network and seek ways to advance the Great Commission. The theme of the gathering in Seoul was "Let the Church declare and display Christ together". The objective was to provide a forum where the 5000 participants could collaborate about how we could work together to close the gaps and pursue opportunities in discipling the nations of the world.

T&T was one of over 200 countries represented there

At the opening ceremony we learnt that one hundred years ago the first missionaries arrived in Incheon, South Korea with the gospel, and now it was the gathering place chosen for this congress! We saw how global missions is not just one way, but is now multidimensional, with missionaries from receiving countries now being to sent to other countries. We recognized that the reputation of the bride of Christ needs to be better; there are too many failures of church leaders. We were admonished that, the closer we get to Christ's return, the more vocal and visible evil will be, so the Church needs to become more vocal and visible in declaring Christ. We were encouraged that although the challenges may be bigger than us, they are not bigger than the Christ in us.

Challenge to be intentional about our time at the congress

On Day 2 we were reminded that no mission can be accomplished without the enabling presence and power of the Holy Spirit; this is what enabled the early Church to grow so quickly. The Church has been accelerating exponentially in Africa because God's Spirit is being given room to move. Prayer was highlighted as a non-negotiable to mission, and we were cautioned not to replace fervent prayers with strategies, logistics and plans. We were then reminded that the Holy Spirit is as much active and relevant today as He was in the early Church, so we should repent and pray for revival.

Reminder that the Holy Spirit is still active in revivals today

The focus for the third day was about encouraging the Church to use their strengths to work together instead of fighting each other. We recognized that the gospel was able to advance unhindered in the early church because of the unity of believers. We examined some of the reasons why the Church was declining: unforgiveness, failure to involve the youth in leadership, too many scandals, failure to equip every believer to do the work of ministry. We were challenged to disciple non-Christians to faith by inviting them into our world and exposing them to truth.

With my international sisters dressed in our cultural wear

The focus for the fourth day of the congress was on the persecuted church. We heard how God used suffering and persecution to increase church growth. Someone who lost his home after his village was burnt to the ground by religious extremists made this powerful declaration, "Despite our destruction and loss, the precious thing we still have is our faith". We were told that persecution is a manifestation of love, as it showed the extent of the love you have for someone by how willing you are to suffer for them. Despite the opposition the Church faces, the Word of God continues to spread. Suffering and persecution is not the end of the story, so we should continue to pray fervently for the persecuted church.

Martyrs "lived to be forgotten so Christ could be remembered"

On Day 5 the theme was "Reflecting Christ in the workplace" as we recognized that full time workers only make up 1% of believers, so there is a need to mobilize Christians in the workplace to be missionaries in their context. As the temple of the Holy Spirit, they carry God's presence with them wherever they go, and this has transforming power. We recognized that programs are not going to win people to the Lord, but people will. The Church's responsibility therefore is to train and equip the 99% and send them out to evangelize in their workplace.

Khara from Barbados sharing about how she 
represents Jesus in the hospital as a doctor

On Day 6 we considered the importance of leadership and discipleship across generational barriers. We were challenged to recognize that seeing ourselves as servants is central to our evangelism, and that we should not serve at the expense of family life. We were encouraged to see intergenerational collaboration as necessary, since it allows for more to be done together than what one generation can do on its own. We saw the importance of the older generations taking the time to listen to the younger ones, and for the younger generations to take the advice of the older ones - the value of mentorship.

Younger leader (Khara) thanking an older leader (Las)
 for his role in leading Lausanne in the Caribbean

On the final day of the congress, we were challenged to be prepared for persecution as we proclaim the gospel, and to recognize that God has a plan and purpose for His people in every circumstance of life. We were encouraged to be guided by the Holy Spirit, even when things do not seem to be logical. We were reminded of the process of church growth in a nation; moving from receiving foreign missionaries, to contextualizing faith and making it indigenous, to the indigenous church becoming a mission force. Stories were shared about the rapid increase in bible translation in Africa by Africans rather than involving persons from the West, of Latin America moving from a mission field to a mission force, and of Chinese churches' vision to get the gospel to unreached people groups.

Celebrating Lausanne's 50th anniversary

I am excited to see how God will use the presentations that were shared and the connections which were made during that week in Seoul to advance His Church going forward!