One of the sights that left a mark on my heart during the Northern Thailand missions trip was when a husband-and-wife minister-couple were leading worship during a children’s gathering, their son was sitting by the leg of his minister dad on the floor watching YouTube videos on his dad’s phone. This scene played out several times during our trip. While he was too young (around 4 years old) to join the older kids, he had no parents to go to because both parents were busy serving others.

When I chatted with his mother on another occasion, she said that their family came to this village a few years ago to serve this community. She serves 5 days a week as a teacher in the church’s Chinese school. Saturday is a full day of conducting children’s activities for the village children. Sunday is the usual Sunday worship and Sunday school. Other times when she is not at church, she visits families in the villages to attend to their needs. Little time is left for her to serve her own children and family. 365 days of ministry minus seven days when they get to return to their hometown to visit their family.

There are similar stories of other overworked missionaries and local ministers as I conversed with them on our missions trip. They are tired physically and mentally; some even suffer from insomnia and depression. None of them has any regrets though – they are faithfully responding to the call of God to serve Him and His people wholeheartedly. Thus, seeing that little boy entertain himself with the phone and seeing that his parents did not and could not attend to him, because of all the other children to whom they are attending, breaks my heart.

On this trip, all I could do was listen to their stories, giving them an outlet to share whatever was on their minds to a fellow minister. I prayed with them for God’s comfort and strength in them, and I continue to remember them in my prayers today. But what more can I / ECC do to support this husband-and-wife minister-couple and their family? What more can I / ECC do to support all these missionaries and local ministers as they work tirelessly for the kingdom of God? How can I / ECC be a channel of blessings to them?