Meet Melissa, a field worker with GSI. Today, Melissa joins us to share about her background, how she was challenged into missions, and what advice she would give to people considering missions long-term. She and her husband – who we will feature in a later post – finished training at Radius in 2018 and are in South East Asia learning the national language and culture.
My name is Melissa. I am 27 years old and live in Southeast Asia with my husband and two daughters. I am from Louisiana and graduated from LSU – Geaux Tigers!
How did you get challenged into missions?
I did not grow up in a Christian home, but one Sunday morning after a sleepover in middle school, I went with my friends’ family to church. I put my faith in Christ and the next Sunday, my first time at church as a believer, an overseas worker from China was leading the Sunday school group. She said she lived in China because there are millions there who have no chance of hearing the Gospel unless someone leaves their home and goes there to tell them. That morning I decided that is what I wanted to do with my life.
What has been the most challenging thing on the field for you so far?
Upon arriving to Southeast Asia, I found out I was pregnant. About 8 months later we went to Bangkok ,Thailand for the birth since the health care in our country is very poor. Just a few days after returning to our country, my one month old very suddenly started having trouble breathing. I had to spend the night with her in the local hospital where they told me she had pneumonia and might not make it. The following morning we took an ambulance across the border into Thailand and I stayed in the hospital with her for 10 days while my husband took care of my 19 month old. Praise the Lord for sparing her life and helping her make a full recovery.
What advice would you give someone who is starting to think about going into missions?
I would advise you to read God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation and rack your brain trying to think of a better thing to do with your life. Jesus died so that all nations could be reconciled to God. May the Lamb receive the reward of his suffering!
If you weren’t doing cross-cultural ministry, what would you be doing?
Although I know a life of cross-cultural ministry will probably be long and hard, I really don’t think there is anything else for me.
Fast Facts:
- Life verse – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
- Coffee or Tea: COFFEE!
- Favorite missionary biography: To the Golden Shore – the Life of Adoniram Judson
- Restaurant I miss when overseas: Every American restaurant! Especially Chick-fil-a, our local coffee shops, and crawf
*Pseudonym used for safety
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