Reflections from the CCI Global Conference |
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So here I am, writing this in December with time to reflect on all that has happened in the past month. God opened a door for my wife, Hailey, in the middle of her last semester of nursing school to attend the Crossing Cultures International Global Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Because of your incredible support, prayerfully and financially, we were able to make this trip a reality. |
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After over 21 hours of flight time, we arrived in Chiang Mai a couple days early and were able to explore the area a little bit. We went up the mountain into a Hmong village with a few shops and stores. At the top, we could see a beautiful waterfall and glory in God's creation. The next thing we did was visit a prominent Buddhist temple in the area. It was an incredible thing to see. A tower of pure gold. You could feel reverence from the people that were there. I could not help but be saddened because these people are clouded by darkness. That kind of reverence should be directed towards Christ Jesus. We stepped into a private meditation room next to the temple one moment. You were required to kneel out of respect of the space. After 5 seconds, I had to leave. Only Jesus deserves to be kneeled to. I can't help but think that every knee shall bow when Jesus returns again. |
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Thailand is a country which is about 95% Buddhist. They respect Christians because of their commitment to loving the community and living at peace with others. So why don't people accept Christ? Religious persecution. Sometimes, it can be physical, but many times, it is being ostracized from society, and the worst is the family. Asian countries have an honor-shame culture. The worst thing you can do is bring shame to your family. When one converts to Christ, that is precisely what happens. I felt God's love for the people of Thailand, and I pray God continues to open their hearts. |
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The conference itself was incredible. We had over 200 pastors and leaders representing over 20 nations, all coming together. It truly felt like a picture of heaven. All of these men and women of God I have never met truly felt like family. As I'm typing this now, I deeply long to visit my family overseas. There was one night when we were singing a worship song. We gathered in a big circle, everyone standing with their country tongue singing, "This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made." Hearing all the different languages and seeing all the people together worshipping King Jesus was an experience I'll never forget for the rest of my life. |
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On the last night of the conference, my incredible wife Hailey felt the Lord prompting her to sing. She went on stage and sang her heart out in front of these pastors, and I couldn't have been more proud. So many people came up after sharing how they felt the Lord's presence. That same night, I was able to preach a message on John 15:5, one of my life verses, in which Jesus says, "I am the vine. You are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him he it is that bears much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing". I’ll share more about that in a video I plan on creating.
God is good. I recorded a lot of video footage and will be putting together a video showcasing the trip. Also, I could not share on social media, but I took a trip to Indonesia, which I will share in my next newsletter.
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Thank you to all those praying for me, and a special thanks to those financially supporting the CCI ministry I am involved in. When starting this journey to leave my comfortable church position and step out in faith, I did not know how it would go, but I trusted the Lord. As I serve the Lord, I know that God will continue to bring partners in the gospel who believe in sowing into my journey and, ultimately, God's kingdom. As we finish celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, this Christmas season, would you consider partnering with us financially on a monthly basis?
"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:3-6
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Sincerely,
David Narvaez
Ministry Development Facilitator
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Crossing Cultures International
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