“The van is leaking gas all over the parking lot,” our event coordinator Christina texted. We were in the middle of our first meeting of FaithCamp Idaho. This incident wasn’t the beginning of our FaithCamp car troubles, nor the end of the fantastic miracles God would do throughout our travels.
FaithCamp is part of the second facet of Jesus for Asia. The first is doing everything we can to bring the Gospel to Asia. Our second desire is to re-engage the church with missions. We believe involvement in God’s Work, whether through prayer, financial support, or being missionaries (at home or overseas), is a vital tool to grow in faith and be prepared for the latter rain. At FaithCamp, missionaries share the need for the Gospel in the mission field and incredible stories of faith that can inspire many to take God at His Word.
As we’ve seen God move and change the hearts of many through FaithCamps over the years, we have also seen many attacks from the enemy, trying to discourage or prevent us from doing what God has called us to do. Despite the challenges, God has been victorious every single time. Below, we’ve shared some examples of how God has protected and sustained us and all our vehicles throughout our travels.
Disclaimer: We do not share these stories to brag. God hasn’t answered our prayers because we’re part of Jesus for Asia. He desires to do just as great and greater things for you if you ask, believing He will do what He says He will do.
Car Troubles: To bring our staff and speakers to this summer’s FaithCamps, we planned to travel in two vans, a car, an RV, and an SUV with a food trailer. Our car problems started a week and a half before our first FaithCamp. The ministry’s Honda Odyssey was taken to a repair shop for routine maintenance. The mechanic said that the timing belt needed to be replaced, so Jon and Natalie Wood, JFA President and Treasurer, agreed.
The new timing belt was not installed properly, which caused significant engine damage. The repair shop apologized and planned to fix it before we left, but on the day we planned to leave for FaithCamp North Carolina, it still wasn’t finished.
Answered Prayer 1: Although the van wasn’t fixed, the repair shop paid for a rental so we could make it to FaithCamp with all our supplies and luggage.
Answered Prayer 2: We had to return the rental between our first two FaithCamps. Although the repairs took longer than expected, Jon and Natalie could take it to FaithCamp Michigan.
Answered Prayer 3: On the way to Michigan, the generator for the RV the Tengkano family is driving stopped working. (This RV had to be purchased the day before FaithCamp because the transmission went out on another vehicle we were supposed to take.) God led them to an RV center, and although their schedule was full, one mechanic offered to look at it. The mechanic found an easy solution and didn’t even charge them for fixing it.
Answered Prayer 4: Jon and Natalie arrived in Michigan in time for FaithCamp, despite more van troubles in Ohio. In Michigan, they took the van to a dealer, who found no problems with it, even after consulting their master mechanics. We weren’t sure if we should drive it further, but one mechanic, a Christian, encouraged Jon and Natalie to trust God and keep going. We had an anointing service for the van and headed west for our one-night FaithCamp in South Dakota.
Answered Prayer 5: We traveled to South Dakota with no problems. The morning after, the van started misfiring. We prayed, and the van had no more issues from South Dakota to Idaho.
Answered Prayer 6: Our kitchen crew took the Odyssey to Walmart in Idaho. As they started walking away from the van a passerby asked, “do you know your van is leaking?” They turned around to see a huge puddle of gas on the asphalt. A church member got a tow truck to take the van back to the church where the head deacon, a mechanic, could look at it. After inspecting it, he discovered the problem: A nut was missing on the rear fuel rail and the pipe had worked its way open, allowing the gas to gush out, spilling over the hot exhaust pipe. Praise the Lord; it was an easy fix. We had traveled all the way to Idaho with the nut missing, but God protected us the entire way. This could have resulted in a major fire!
Answered Prayer 7: In Red Bluff, California, the car wouldn’t start and left the Tengkanos stranded at Walmart. Praise God, the problem was easily solved with a new battery.
Answered Prayer 8: On the way from Red Bluff to Fresno, California, the RV started shaking at speeds above 65 mph. Once the Tengkanos stopped at a tire shop, they discovered one tire was bulging and close to blowing out. They were able to replace it in time.
Answered Prayer 9: While waiting on one of our teammates to get lunch on our first full day in Fresno, steam started billowing from the car's hood. Our newest JFA employee is good with cars, and he was able to diagnose the problem as a broken radiator hose coupler and fix it the same day.
Answered Prayer 10: The valve stem on the SUV started leaking just as our teammates parked at a campsite. They couldn’t get the spare tire down, but a kind, nearby camper took them to a repair shop to fix it. They were able to share Steps to Christ with him.
Answered Prayer 11: One of the trailer tires started bulging and getting wobbly. Our team members were able to make it to the repair shop without it bursting,
Answered Prayer 12: The trailer’s generator wouldn’t start, but despite being in the mountains, one team member had cell reception to look up how to fix it.
We have been so blessed to see that while God has allowed us to experience difficulty, He has not let those difficulties harm us or cause any FaithCamp to start late. In every instance, the car problems were discovered in the best possible place for them to happen. Our team members could have been injured because of bursting tires or the van’s gas pouring out over the hot exhaust manifold, but God has protected us at every step.
We request your prayers for our last few FaithCamps, not just for our team and missionaries, but for those attending to see a clearer picture of Jesus and be inspired to put their faith fully in Him!
Considering Mission Service? Or Want to Go Deeper with God? Then This Opportunity Is for You!
Jesus for Asia and In Discipleship are partnering to make training available to those who have heard and accepted God’s call and who want to go deeper with God as His disciple and a disciple-maker. The In Discipleship Boot Camp is a seven-day intensive workshop focusing on deepening and strengthening your relationship with Jesus, helping you grow in living every day as a disciple of Jesus, and training you to become a disciple-maker. This event will be held August 8-14, 2023 at Jesus for Asia Headquarters in Tennessee. We invite you to join us for this special training event! Click below for more information.
- Contributed by Jesus for Asia