Written by: Madison Wilcox
Editor’s Note: The following article has been edited for length and clarity. The Accent has also chosen not to publish the name of the student missionary to Laos to protect the mission work there.
Where did you serve as a student missionary and what were your duties?
Anonymous:
I served as a student missionary in Vientiane, Laos, for almost two years. My primary job was teaching English in a language center, but the overall goal of the missionaries was to become friends with the students and local people and introduce them to Jesus. Since Laos is a communist country and proselytizing is illegal, we weren’t allowed to talk about God in class or to share our faith with others, unless they asked us about it first.
Edvan Benitez:
I was serving with my friend Mauricio in Hong Kong at a small Adventist university called Hong Kong Adventist College. As “friendship evangelists,” we took eight credit hours every semester, lived in the dormitory with two other locals, ate in the cafeteria with them, played sports and went out to explore the city together with the purpose of building connections for eternity. Some students would come later and ask questions about our faith and God, and that’s when we would invite them to start studying the Bible.
Tell me about the culture. What was difficult for you? What do you miss?
Anonymous:
Laos is beautiful and unique. The people are laid-back, and hospitality is important to them. If locals invite you to their house, it is expected that you will bring some food with you, and when you get there, the first thing you will do is eat it together. I loved this environment. Lao people don’t like to rock the boat, and they give generously to help the group succeed. They don’t worry about competition or outdoing each other. The social pressures that I experience in the United States were almost nonexistent there.
Benitez:
It wasn’t hard for me to adapt to my location, since I really like Asian culture and I wanted to know more about it. Hong Kong is also a very international city. I would call it the “United States of Asia,” because Asian people go to Hong Kong to find a “better life.” Hong Kong Adventist College is also an international school, and I think that really helped with the culture shock.
Which religions are represented in the country where you served? What have you found to be the biggest spiritual barrier to receiving the gospel message?
Anonymous:
Laos is primarily Buddhist. The religion is woven throughout their entire societal structure and culture. Many parts of Laos are also animist and worship the spirits of their ancestors. Some of my students had experienced spiritual attacks and harassment by demons. This makes Christianity extremely difficult for Lao people. In order to give up their religion, they must give up both their culture and their ancestors. That might not seem like a big deal for us in America, because our lives are so independent from each other. However, in Laos, it would be like asking someone to betray their family and everything they care about.
Benitez:
Hong Kong is located in what is called “the 10/40 window,” which is the world region with the least Christian presence. When we arrived at the Adventist College, only five students were Adventist. The rest of the students were Muslims, Buddhist, Taoists and atheists. However, all of these students were studying on an Adventist campus, so they were exposed to some Christian beliefs. We only had to be careful about how we presented the beautiful gospel message.
Who is one person you will never forget from your time as a student missionary?
Anonymous:
One day I was really struggling. I was going through something personal that nobody around me could understand, so I begged God to send me someone I could talk to. A few days later, one of my students invited me to go hang out with her. From our very first conversation, I found out that she was dealing with the same exact struggle that I was. I knew that God had answered my prayer and sent me a friend. She is still so special to me, and I know that we will be friends for life. Even though she isn’t Christian, God used her to help me when I needed it the most.
Benitez:
I would say my two roommates. At the beginning, it was very hard for me to connect with them because of differences in our personalities and backgrounds. As a Latino, I tend to be very loud, affectionate and extroverted. My roommates were shy, quiet and introverted. But as the days went by, I tried to get to know them better and was able to connect with them in different ways. They taught me a lot of lessons, and I was able to share very beautiful memories with them. I was also able to study the Bible with them, and by the grace of God, they both got baptized before we left Hong Kong.
Can you identify a theme in the growth you’ve experienced as an SM?
Anonymous:
For a long time, I considered myself a failure as a missionary. I didn’t make a single convert. I worked hard to be a good teacher, but in the end, our school was permanently closed. I still don’t know if I did things right or if I messed up my opportunity. Things just didn’t go how I imagined.
I believe that the mission field is a place that will change people. The grace, kindness and generosity I experienced from people who had never heard of Jesus made me want to become that kind of person, too. I thought that I could bring Jesus into their hearts, but they brought Him into mine instead.
How would you encourage someone who is thinking about being a student missionary?
Benitez:
If you are thinking of being a student missionary, God is planting that seed in your heart for a reason. Mission work is not easy; it is not heaven. Satan will constantly try to discourage you. But during those times of trouble, your faith will be strengthened and you will realize how much you need God. After you have this experience, you realize that there is no better thing in this life than to live a life of service to God and others.
