During 2004 Connie and I moved from Tucson, Arizona to McKinney, Texas and started attending McKinney Fellowship Bible Church (McFBC) where we became involved in small group ministry. As I taught our small group I sensed that The Lord was urging me to reformat my Bible study of James into a twelve week study suitable for use in my small group. As I worked on this material I shared it with the pastoral staff, seeking their guidance and keeping then informed of my progress. During this process I was approached by our Pastor of Global Missions and asked if I would consider joining a teaching team that was going to China in April of 2005 and teach my material to a group of students being trained to become missionaries and pastors. This was an exciting opportunity for me to which I gave much consideration because of the cost involved and several questions it raised. First, should I pay my own way or raise funds through an appeal? Second, should I take time away from my home construction to take this trip? Third, should I risk teaching at an illegal school? Fourth, should I go against my family's will? After thinking, praying and talking with various people I decided it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. It was an open door I felt, at the time, that I had to go through and as I look back now it was the right timing.
Having made the decision to go required that I obtain a passport to leave the US and a visa to enter China. Assuming I could obtain both documents I had to next decide how to pay the $2300 travel expenses; should I pay my own expenses or humble myself and learn to ask others. Our team leader encouraged us to compose a letter describing the mission of the trip, compile a list of friends and send the letter requesting them to become team members through their prayer and financial support. Little did I know then that my letter was the first of many that would raise support to cover seventeen trips to China over an eight year period.
Meetings were held to help prepare us for cultural differences. We discussed a list of dos and don'ts and considered how to communicate and behave with the people we would meet and spend time with. As we spent time together preparing for our trip we got to know one another and looked forward to our time together serving The Lord in a foreign culture with some risk of our mission being discovered by government officials. Excitement grew as we watched God provide for our expenses and work in our hearts. Finally April 10th came and with luggage ready we headed to DFW and the experience of a lifetime. Mission groups visiting China usually travel first to Beijing where some sightseeing introduces them to the culture and helps make some time adjustments to tired bodies. From Beijing they would fly to their designation city; in our case it was Chengdu.
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