I have had a marvelous experience at
Parachute this year. It’s hard to believe it has all happened. In the words of
my friend Brian, “You have turned a new leaf” I will go on with what He said: I
am reminded of two songs, Boldness of Love by Jimmy Hendrix, and “They will
know we are Christians by our love”
Let me tell you a few stories of some
things that have taken place. While having lunch with Sandy and Graham (the
directors of Voice of the Martyrs NZ) I was sharing my highlight of that day
while at the booth (I will call it this from now on)
I had been thinking about China, and it
occurred to me there were many human’s rights violations towards Christians in
China. Then sandy shared a story of a church in China, they had been harassed
by the government, forced to move from building to building to coordinate their
meetings. This ended with them finding a forest to meet in. As she was sharing
this story I became quite emotional, that was hard to believe! We have a
responsibility to stand with them, against the human’s rights violations that
are rampant there.
So I came back to the booth. During this
time at the booth a man was startled at the use of our stocks, I shared the why
behind it that I have a friend who was a witch doctor in Laos – who converted
to Christianity, needless to say, it wasn’t good for Him not being a
witchdoctor, you see as part of their culture, they tolerate the use of
witchcraft. Turning from this is like turning from your family.
I shared this story, and came to what was
happening in China, the human’s rights violations that were taking place, and
about praying for them. He was very encouraged and courageous to get in the
stocks and show where his allegiance lies. That’s with Jesus.
At the end, I said “you know what you just
did, you plundered the kingdom of darkness, and brought it to light, would you
like to do some more?” you see prayer is none other than plundering the kingdom
of darkness in these countries. We have a newsletter that we send out to help
people pray for those that are in prison, forced to meet in forests, turned
away from their families, and keep praying, after all, It says “remember those
who are bound as bound with them in prison” I believe when the writer of Hebrews said this, he was of
course thinking of prayer, because previously he had said “do not give up the
meeting as some of you have thought of doing” we are commanded at the end of
the gospels to go to every tribe, tongue, people and nation.
I have another story that I would like to
share with you. Being at the booth it stirred up some feelings in me, that
regardless of my fear of sharing, Jesus gives me courage. This was evident
when, as a group of youth came to the booth, I could see they were talking, I
said “Can I be forward with you? I have a question to ask of you” They were
open so they listened to me. I said “do you know about my brothers and sisters
in arms?” They were a bit lost, so I said “There’s only one thing in life that
will truly satisfy, when you are convinced death is gain, and when you have
something that satisfies in life, this is Jesus, because He himself has shown
His great love for us”
Then another guy, who was blown away by us,
took me aside and asked if he could pray for me. I will share with you what He
said, because I believe you are praying for me. He had a picture of a table
full of stuff, and all I have to do is to take it with my hands, that there was
a huge table full of things, and confidence is where you can take a hold of it,
that God wants me to share from my heart, just as I have been doing.
One of the guys who I talked with
previously also took me aside and said, “What you did just there, God wants you
to do that more, where you said ‘Can I be forward with you’”
There are so many stories of which I can
share with you from the experience of parachute. Including this last one, It
gave me great joy. I was at the stocks, when all of a sudden a group came by
(as I was talking with another group) stopped at the stocks, and had this huge
photo frame that they put around the stocks. Well I was right next to the
stocks with the chains in my hand and I said “How about holding these” – to
which they said yes.
Then after it was all finished I was able
to talk with the person who got in the stocks. I said “these chains they put on
their hands and feet for days at a time” Then she was surprised and said “I
could not hold these for a minute”
I hope you have had an enjoyable experience
of parachute by hearing the stories that I have shared with you. All the best
from Nathan