“IN HIS PRESENCE”

My name is Deborah Joy Luza, and I’m from the Philippines. I would like to share about my one-year experience in the mission field where God has placed me—at Naegak Church in South Korea.

The very first time I stepped into our church building, all the courage I had gathered seemed to vanish. I began asking myself, “How can I do the mission God has called me to do here?” I thought I would be confident in mingling with Korean people—especially since I already had many Korean friends back in the Philippines. But being here is very different from what I imagined.

I didn't know how to teach, because in the first place, I am not a teacher. I'm not confident in teaching the English language, because even I am not very good at it. I felt so much pressure that sometimes I would just cry while praying, because I didn't know what to do. I felt that I was useless here.

There were times when my mind told me, “Just finish this one year and go back home. Continue the ministry in the Philippines—visit people in the mountain areas, teach them Bible studies, tell Bible stories to the children, lead action songs, and especially teach them about Jesus.” Reaching people—that's what we do in the Philippines. But when I came here, it was so different.

There were so many moments of culture shock that I began to question myself as a missionary: “Am I really a missionary, or am I just a tourist in this country?” I miss that ministry back home. But the Lord reminded me that I am not the one who brought myself here—it was God who placed me here. So, I don't need to worry or be discouraged. I asked the Lord many times, “How can I share Your gospel with these people? How can I reach them? How can I teach them about Your love? How can I be useful in this field?” So many questions—but the Lord never fails to answer me. He reminded me again through His Word in Matthew 7:7, which says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

I may not be able to speak Korean, but I was able to teach the children an English prayer. Every time we have English class, before we start, I let them pray in English. We do this every day. At first, they were hesitant to say a prayer because they don’t know what that is, but eventually, they were able to pray without me saying it first. Sometimes I even forget to remind them to pray, and they are the ones who remind me that we forgot. It was a bit embarrassing—not as a teacher, but as a missionary— still, I was so happy. They are an answered prayer to one of my supplications to God.

God’s work didn't stop there. I was also able to use the talents that God gave me—teaching the church children how to play the ukulele and guitar. With God's help, I was able to share those talents with them, and they were able to play in front of God and the congregation.

I thought my ministry would remain just like that—but I was wrong. One afternoon, after English class, Myeong Kyoon asked me about the Bible. He was curious and had many questions about God. My heart was happy, but at the same time, I felt scared. How could I answer him in a way he would understand? But I thank the Lord for guiding me. I was able to answer his questions and asked him if he would like to study the Bible with me. I was so happy when he said yes. Since then, we've been studying the Bible after class. Not just him, but his brother, Myeong Chan, also joins us. And not only them—I am also studying the Bible with some parents every Tuesday afternoon. Please include them in your prayers and pray for our Bible study time together. May the Holy Spirit work in their/our hearts so they may grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Missionary work is not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. We must always remember we are not working alone in the vineyard—we are working with the Owner of the vineyard. You don't need to rely on your own strength; instead, fully depend on God. Let Him do His work as the sovereign Lord. Allow Him to use you in His own ways.

God is not concerned about your ability or your position. What He wants is your availability for the ministry. When you let God work in your life, you don't need to worry about how to do things. Because when you allow Him to stay in your heart, you will hear His voice—guiding you, teaching you, and telling you what you need to do.  Do you know why both foreign and local missionaries succeed in winning souls, despite the differences in their mission fields? It's because they don't depend on their own strength or worry about what others say about them—they depend on the Lord.

Although I may not be fluent in Korean, I know I can still share the gifts that God has given me—by teaching the children, the parents, and the people in this field about His goodness and love. His grace and His mercy are sufficient for everyday!

We are reminded in God's Word that it is not we who placed ourselves in these fields. It is God who brought us here.

As I now extend my mission for another year in this same field, may we continue to pray together and work together—not for the world, but to lift His Name and share the Gospel with the people around us, including our families and loved ones.

Let us choose to remain in His presence—because in His presence, we find comfort, joy, love, peace, and eternal life.

By: Deborah Joy Luza (52nd Batch) Missionfield: South Korea