Some moments stay with you long after you return home. Standing before the gathering at the Narang Mandi Prayer Festival was one of those moments for me.
During our September mission with Rod & Staff Global Ministries, I had the privilege of sharing God’s Word and joining a community gathered in prayer and worship. Looking across the crowd—families standing together, hands lifted, faces turned toward the stage—I was reminded of the responsibility and blessing of being invited to serve.
We may speak different languages and carry different stories, but our need for hope, encouragement, and the assurance that God sees us connects us all.
My own journey through cancer, loss, and life-changing challenges continues to shape how I minister. When I speak about trusting God through uncertainty, I speak from lived experience. I know what it means to face circumstances you cannot change and still discover that God has purpose for your life.
That is the hope I carry with me: our circumstances do not place us beyond God’s reach, and our hardest chapters do not have to be our final ones.
Another special part of this visit was the opportunity to speak with the children during a Sunday School service. With the pastor helping translate, we were able to connect across languages, and the children were wonderfully receptive. It was a joy to share with them and experience their openness and enthusiasm. I am grateful for those moments together and the reminder that making room for children is a meaningful part of ministry.
This visit also reminded me how much ministry depends on people working together. I am grateful for the local pastors, interpreters, ministry partners, and everyone whose service helped make these gatherings possible. Their commitment extends far beyond the moments captured on camera.
As you watch this brief highlight video, I hope you see more than a gathering. I hope you see people coming together in faith—and the privilege we share in encouraging one another along the way.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for us and supported this mission. I returned grateful for the opportunity to serve and encouraged by the faith of those we met.
Watch highlights from the Narang Mandi Prayer Festival below.