In April, we posted an article about three Baptist Collegiate Ministry students attending Farmville Baptist who were preparing to go on summer mission. Last week, we received the following letter from Emily Caviness.
Dear friends and family,
I have returned safely back home to Virginia! Thank you all for your prayers and financial support. From when I first decided to go to Macau, I didn’t know how I would pay for the whole trip, but God took care of every worry or possible trouble. Our team was able to teach English to 60 people while we were there, and we were able to hand out to restaurant workers 1,600 gifts inviting them to Macau Baptist Church. Mainly, though, God used us to show his love simply by creating friendships with the people. In Chinese, the phrase for “boring” literally translates in English to “talking about Jesus,” so it was a blessing to be able to show the people God’s light in a fun and personal way.
In preparing for the trip, a woman told our team “if you go to China for a week, you can write a novel about China; a month, you can write a paragraph; a year, you can write a sentence and any longer than that, you learn that words just cannot describe China.” This couldn’t be truer, as China is so vast, complex and different from one province to another that my trying to describe China in generalities simply will not do it justice. Macau (which became like home to us while we were there) was a friendly, smaller city with a lot of diversity and life. Going into mainland China was like entering into a different world. I saw poverty and hopelessness in a way I had never experienced it before, as I have been lucky enough to always know God, and to have grown up with much more than the basic necessities of life. We were able to spend our last night in Hong Long, which was such a special, beautiful island. We got to see the city from the peak of a mountain and sit by the ocean during the day. Regardless of what city we were in, throughout the entire trip, God’s presence was distinctly there. It is hard to believe that anyone could look at the mountains of Hong Kong or the kind faces of the people of Macau and not believe in Christ, but it is without Christ that thee wonderful places all had darkness about them. Although it is difficult to explain, physical and spiritual darkness reined the cities, which made the trip sometimes heartbreaking. It is now, though, that I know specifically who and what I can pray for. Our team has been able to come back to America and share our stories with you. In return, we ask you to pray that Christ is made known throughout China, a country so amazing, but so in need of a Savior.
In supporting me financially and sending me on this trip, God also used you all in this mission. And because of your prayers, no one got sick, and we got the opportunity to share about Christ with people who may never hear it again. So, thank you!
With love, Emily Caviness
