Newly commissioned as a WEC worker, Eleanor is heading for Asia. For security reasons, she has to be cautious about the details she shares, but it’s clear she has plenty to be excited about.
WEC: So what will you being doing?
Eleanor: Officially, I’m going to learn the country’s main language, or to top up my knowledge of it. Then, I’ll be waiting for God to reveal a speaker of the local language, who can teach me privately. That’s going to be the exciting bit; meeting someone who God’s already lined up for me.
WEC: Do you have any fixed ideas of what will happen after that? Or is it very much just seeing what’s appropriate?
Eleanor: My ministry is friendship evangelism, so I’m anticipating making friends within the university setting, which may lead to English lessons, using a very good book! Depending on who the people are, it might mean focusing on discipleship or evangelism, then visiting friends at their homes in the countryside. And the end goal is to climb the mountains to the unreached people groups, some of whom will never make it down the mountains at all.
WEC: What drew you towards this idea in the first place? What made you think: ‘Yeah, I want to go to this part of the world and do this’?
Eleanor: I’ve always had a heart to reach the unreached, but not for any specific place. When I was at Bible school, I was friends with a student from Asia and talked about the possibilities of going there. Up until then, I’d felt there was a missing piece from the puzzle, but at that point, the missing piece fell into place. And it’s gone from there. I pushed one or two doors and as I pushed the WEC door, it just opened further and further. I really believe God has been leading me this way.
WEC: Has anything in particular inspired you?
Eleanor: I’ve been really challenged by James O. Fraser who spoke about when he went to China and spoke to a man who lived there. The man asked him, ‘How long have you known this good news?’
‘Well, about 100 years.’
‘100 years? And you’re only just coming now to tell me!’
That really gets my heart: that people need to know how good the good news is. As the children’s song goes: ‘Everybody ought to know who Jesus is.’
WEC: And how can we pray for you?
Eleanor: From the spiritual point of view, I want people to pray that God’s Spirit will move in the mountains, so that when I and others go trekking there and talking to people, those people will respond. Check out what the creator of the heavens says in Isaiah 42:6. I want to see people being healed, spiritually and physically, where I’m going. I will need help to learn the language – well, two languages at the same time! And I will need God’s help to deal with the heat and humidity. So, there are a few things I need prayer for! Thanks so much for praying that his light will shine through me as I go to Asia.
Find out more about our Friendship Evangelism ministry
Public evangelism isn’t always the best way to share the good news. In some nations, overt religious activity of this kind is prohibited. And in any case, sharing your faith in the context of a friendship is often the most powerful approach.
Many of us specialise in friendship evangelism; sharing their faith with friends and neighbours in cultures where preaching is discouraged or even impossible. We build relationships with local people, accept hospitality from them and perhaps teach them a little English. Sharing the gospel happens very naturally through these relationships.
We need you to get involved
Do you want to know more about how to share your faith in a different culture? Fill in our ‘connect with us’ form or email us.
