"The One Who Plans Everything"

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps"

(Proverbs 16:9)

I was almost at the end of my term, and honestly, a thought kept creeping in: What if I went home with nothing to show for it? What if all of it ended and it felt like I hadn’t really done anything?

Mission work wasn’t as simple as walking up to someone and talking about the Bible. People could feel awkward, uncomfortable, or just not interested—and rejection stung more than I expected. So we learned to take it slow. We visited regularly, checked blood pressure and blood sugar, offered a quick massage, and just… stayed present. We built trust first. Before leaving, we prayed with them.

And when we felt like the timing was right, we thought about sharing God’s Word. But even asking, “Can I share a Bible message with you?” took so much courage. Because sometimes, that question changed everything. Sometimes, it ended the relationship. So we became careful. Extra careful.

But somewhere along the way, I realized something uncomfortable: maybe being too careful was actually the problem.

I started to see how fear had quietly shaped my choices. I told myself I was being wise, respectful, patient—but deep down, I was also afraid. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of losing the connection we had worked hard to build. And that fear slowly turned into an excuse not to share at all.

That realization hit hard. I felt disappointed in myself. Because if I was being honest, holding back like that wasn’t faith—it was hesitation. And hesitation, when you knew what you were called to do, felt a lot like stepping back.

Then one day, something simple happened that changed my perspective.

We had been walking through a neighborhood when I noticed a house with its door slightly open. I told my partner, “Let’s try that one.” We knocked and asked if we could check her blood pressure. She welcomed us in.

As we talked and shared that we were missionaries, she said something I didn’t expect: she had been wanting to go to church but didn’t know where to go. There were too many options, and she felt lost.

I just sat there thinking… wow. While we had been out wondering who to reach, she had already been searching.

That moment didn’t feel random. It felt intentional—like our paths had crossed exactly when they were supposed to.

Since then, we had continued visiting her and inviting her to worship. And I had been reminded of something I wouldn’t forget: sometimes the opportunity was already there—we were just too cautious to step into it.

Being thoughtful mattered. But when carefulness turned into fear, it held me back from the very thing I was meant to do.

Name: Jung Han Bi I 64th Batch 1000MM

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea

Mission Field: Burgos, Surigao del Norte, Mindanao, Philippines