Journey into China - 1

In early 1997, both Catherine and I sensed that it was time to resign from our jobs to pursue the calling that Father has placed in our heart. 

As many of you are aware that I was serving as a full-time military officer with the Singapore Armed Force and working in a department under the MInistry of Defense. 

When I put in my resignation letter, we still do not know when He will open the door for us to go to China. And we do not have a church that will send us out nor were we with any mission organization. Yet, we sensed it was time to put in our resignation (Catherine to the company that she worked in as a Senior Manager, while I resign from my military position).

All we know was it was time to resign. We do not know when we will go to China. We do not have a church that will send us out (i.e. spiritual covering and financial support). We do not belong to any mission organisation. We do not know how to raise fund. In short, we had nothing in our hand except He had called us.

There were some meaningful Christians in my department that advice me to look for a good mission organization that will support us financially or to get the church that we were attending to support us. And to leave only when all these practical supports are in placed.

Honestly, instead of being encouraged, I begin to get frighten after hearing those well-meant advices from good solid Christians. And I kind of wonder if I have 'jumped' ahead of God by resigning when nothing had been set up at all. And not to forget to mention that Catherine was due to give birth to Charmaine at that same period.

Than God used two person to confirm to me that my resignation is prompted by Him.

First one is a sergeant called Gerard Steward. He worked in my team for a couple of years. One day, he saw me in corridor and stopped to talk to me. This is what he said, "Sir, I heard that you have put in your resignation letter and your reason is that you want to be a missionary. Even though I am a Catholic and you are a Protestant Christian, I can talk to my church's father if the church can help you financially when the time come for you to leave and you still do not have any financial support."

I was totally surprised by what he said to me. I know that it is not possible for his church to extend any financial support to me. But, I know that God was using Gerard to tell me that He is in control of our situation including our financial situation.

The second person was Warrant Officer Alan Wong. He served in the same branch with me for a couple of years too. And he is a totally a true blue warrant officer if you know what I mean i.e. not only he is not a believer, he swear, he smoke, cynical etc. A few weeks after I put in my resignation letter, he saw me and this is what he said to me, "Sir, I heard you have put in your resignation to go and do mission work. I believe that your God will provide all that you need. You do not have to worry."

I was totally blown away by what he said. This was the final confirmation that placed a deep peace in my heart that my resignation is done according to His timing even though there was no church, mission organization or support structure that inplaced for us to go into the field.

Every time I face with some challenges in the field, I will remember Gerard Steward and Alan Wong. I remember them because God used them (the least that I expect) to confirm our calling. He uses people that we do not expect to speak to us.

I want to thank them for being the channel used by Him to confirmed our calling.

And I want to encourage all those who read this posting that He can use anyone, including the non-Christian, to speak to us, if we learn to open our heart and spirit.