STUCK STATESIDE TO BLESS AND BE BLESSED

Tony and Gina have been stuck in the mid-West for several months now, unable to return to the field because of travel bans.

Arriving in his hometown late February, Tony found that information about the coronavirus was limited. People were unprepared. The entrepreneur in him sprang into action. He contacted church and city government leaders. The size of the city is a mere district by Chinese standards. Information sharing and grass-root organizing were relatively easy. In March, church ladies were already sewing masks. In April, Tony was leading a group of engineers to volunteer for various projects.

Even as Tony is helping his community, he is reconnecting with his home church. He had been overseas for more than ten years. Returning for two-week deputations annually is nothing compared to being a part of the community during a pandemic, spearheading service initiatives inside and outside the church. By the time Tony and Gina are able to return to East Asia, they will have a close knit team of senders behind them.

Finally, they were touched by the generosity of God’s people, who paid for Gina’s urgent dental surgery in the US that was not in their budget. They are “stuck” stateside to bless others, but in the end, they too are blessed.