This summer, after completing her first term in the Mediterranean, Esperanza returned to Columbus for a time of debrief. The Communication team sat down with her to catch up about her experiences over the last two years; the article below is pulled from that transcript.
“I spent the last two years focused on language and culture acquisition. I was part of a team of other language learners in the city, and I appreciated the community and support of others who were also focused on learning.
“The language learning method we used was unique; I went to my language teacher’s home five days a week and learned to speak by listening and repeating. At the very beginning I spoke like a toddler, but slowly progressed to speaking and understanding more advanced stories and deeper life topics.
“It was a very humbling journey to embrace being a learner—to make mistakes, to ask a lot of questions, and to really learn from my local teachers. I still have more growing to do, but I see the fruit of two years of persevering through this intense study. I see the ways God grew my resilience.
“Another challenge of living in this region was experiencing the spiritual heaviness of Islam, the majority religion. I experienced this heaviness in my relationships with local people—dear friends who shared with me their beliefs, and with whom I shared mine. We respected one another, but we did not agree with one another.
“I remember walking away from a number of meaningful conversations with a heaviness in my spirit. These dear friends, who I love so much, do not know Jesus as Lord. Their eyes are blind, and there is nothing I can say to compel or convince them; that is a work that really requires the Spirit of God to move.”
And move, His Spirit did. In a rare experience for a first-term worker, Esperanza rejoiced with her team as God began to bring years of work to completion. “The city where I lived is home to very few believers, but seeds had been planted and watered for many years. I happened to arrive in a time when God was finally bringing the fruit of the harvest.”
“A male teammate of mine had developed a close friendship with a young man who was disillusioned with Islam and asking a lot of questions. He was hungry, and my friend pointed him toward the words of Jesus.
“Changing religions is not really a concept in this culture, but this young man chose to follow Christ. He has experienced immense opposition and persecution as a result—but he has the joy of the Lord, and is so open and bold about sharing it. Through his local networks, through his childhood friends, through his willingness to share with anyone who will listen, we’ve seen the beginning of a church in my city.
“Over the past year-and-a-half, we’ve watched the numbers of believers grow. We’ve seen great witnessing and great response—and great persecution, yet the movement continues to grow. Thirteen new believers were baptized in just the last few months! We see Jesus building His Church as He said He would. We see God pouring rivers of water in the desert.
“We see Jesus building His Church as He said He would.”
“Looking ahead to mid-January, I plan to join an already existing team that uses community development to serve a vulnerable, displaced people—same country, different city. I am excited to use my training in social work to bless those who need assistance, and I feel honored to serve these people who are close to God’s heart.
“I really appreciate and value your prayers on my behalf, for me and my teammates as we continue learning, persevering, and pressing into this people group. It’s a privilege to be sent and it’s a joy to know that there are countless individuals lifting me and other workers up for the expansion of God’s kingdom.”
