Senior | USC

Initially, I didn’t plan to go on STSM because I was already preparing for another short-term mission trip with another organization at a similar time. However, one thing stuck with me when PR spoke at MRN: just go until God closes the door for you. With an open heart, I remember praying that if the STSM training dates didn’t clash with the training dates from the other mission trip, I would take it as a sign that God was making a way for me to go on STSM. I doubted that I would be able to handle two mission trips, but by the grace of God, He opened the door for me to go on STSM while faithfully equipping me to lead the other mission trip. 

Before going to India, I realized the words “thank you” became so watered down in my prayers. Even praying “thank you for this day” developed so much weight when I woke up at 4:30 AM with my team for morning prayer in India. Doing ministry in India has allowed me to see how privileged I was to have everything I have back home and how much I was living a comfortable life. This ties into my spiritual walk with God as well because, in America, I didn’t have much desperation or urgency for the lost as much as I did in India. I noticed that there’s no such thing as a lukewarm Christian in India because, in India, believers have to put their life on the line when pursuing Jesus and working out their salvation in a Hindu-oriented nation. When talking to staff members, seminary students, and all the pastors and missionaries we met in India, they all lived with a purpose — to preach the gospel and expand His kingdom. Their lives truly looked like they were living for Christ and in preparation for His return. This challenged me to also view America as a mission field and actually make the effort to view every interaction as an opportunity to have edifying conversations about Christ and practice Christ-like actions. 

STSM has taught me to see what is more valued in God’s eyes compared to the eyes of this world, and I am challenged to not be distracted by pursuing worldly desires here in LA. Just like the Christian locals in India that I graciously got to meet, I also desire to faithfully walk on the narrow path that God calls me to walk on despite the difficulties I may face because as it says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”