"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" Ephesians 3:8.
IMAGINE SITTING ON A PLANE, awaiting lift-off for a very long flight. Next to you sits an elderly Japanese lady who speaks no English. Suddenly, it hits you: this woman may be going to hell and there is nothing you can do about it.
That is exactly what happened to me as I returned from an E-TEAM trip to Tokyo, Japan, in 2003. Our team had an amazing, life-changing experience. However, what affected me most was the realization I could do absolutely nothing for this lady. I didn't speak her language. I couldn’t communicate the gospel to her.
Sitting on the plane, broken-hearted, I felt God speak to my heart. He told me I could respond by giving my life fully to Him and to His calling for all Christians to share the gospel. Since, I didn't know where He wanted me to go or what He wanted me to do, I signed up for an E-TEAM the following year. I asked God to show me if He wanted me in missions. Through the people of Uruguay, God gave me the assurance I needed. I clearly recognized the call to be a missionary.
Through each of my mission trips with Free Will Baptist International Missions, God showed me something new and different. In 2005, in Kazakhstan, God gave me a desire to be a witness to the Islamic culture. On this trip I garnered my first experience with Muslims.
I had the privilege of becoming friends with a young lady named Zarina—a Muslim with an Islamic family and heritage. We talked about the Bible and Jesus Christ many times. While I am sad she is not yet a believer, God allowed my team the opportunity to sharethe gospel with her. Zarina still has many questions about the Bible and what it means to be a Christian. Believers in Almaty, Kazakhstan, continue to minister to her. Moreover, I believe God is working on her heart. Through her, God showed me the need for the gospel among Islamic people.
I still don’t know specifically where God wants me to serve Him. But I know, if I follow Him and stay on His path, He will show me where He wants me and when He wants me there.
Shane Brown, a sophomore at Free Will Baptist Bible College, is studying missions and Bible. He is the son of Reverend Bob and Ann Brown. Shane plans to return to Kazakhstan as an intern during the summer of 2006.
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