United with Dan on a Mission

– Ticking the last few boxes 

The last few weeks in Scotland were an absolute blast. I was intent on making the most of the time left over. It was all or nothing. I was going to Glasgow at least five times a week, my roommate from DTS came to visit, and since it would probably be the last moments spent with many people, I was able to pursue much deeper conversations, naturally. As I reflect on these weeks, let me recall these wonderful people and moments:

In the last chapter I mentioned how God provided people that could continue to carry ministries after I left. One was a guy from Nigeria, and he had quite the story. Growing up, his dad was Muslim and his mother Christian. That was until his dad ended up joining one of the Islamic Extremist groups, which one day ended up coming to his home and killing his mother and siblings. He was forced to become Muslim, but while in Glasgow, he encountered our ministry, we became friends and he decided to pursue God. He was a regular attendee and showed great dedication. One thing led to the next. I often get to see updates from him and the work he’s doing now. I pray the Lord’s favour and protection remains on him and the ministry. 

The other one is a University Student from East Asia. We met at one of the other student cafe ministries, started hanging out, and he became a great friend. He would attend most of the ministries that I was involved with and started to develop a reverence for what we were doing there. Personality wise he was very quiet and reserved. He never spoke unless spoken to. In the final weeks he, myself and the Nigerian would end up spending a lot of time together and talking about the future. He has such a beautiful servant heart and I was confident that he would keep the rest on track if they got distracted. He would also be able to reach the other quiet people, and so one thing led to the next. 

#The Counting House: Handing over the reins

One of my most precious moments in ministry came during my last week there. I had been friends with this guy for almost a year at that point. At first he was stone cold. He often said things like: “what’s the point of feeling emotions, it’s only a hindrance,” “The tallest tree catches the most wind, I always aim for second best,” “My suits have more character than me.” He was puzzled by me choosing to spend time with him, why I helped him unconditionally, why I would write a Christmas card for him, or make a big deal out of his birthday. While he had not chosen God by the time I had to leave, He did thank me for teaching him to love life and giving it purpose. Hearing this was incredibly precious for me, I thank and praise God for letting me be a part of this. Without a doubt the seeds were sown and I am confident that God will finish the good work He started.  

There was an incredibly interesting and challenging project that I was able to be a part of. It was with a church in Glasgow that had a ‘Sunday School’ kid’s program for children with special needs. I worked with the kids to produce a drama for Ascension Day. It was really difficult to keep the kids focused, and even more difficult to get them to listen, especially since most of them spoke English as a second language. In the end it was a great success, and today still, the pastor of the church often asks when I’ll be back. 

Finally, a really precious moment in the weakened before I left, I was able to do the service at the Bridge church, and share testimony upon testimony about God and the role they played in it. All in all, the final weeks were a real blessing, where God allowed me to see the fruits of my labour. I am very grateful to all my friends in Scotland for contributing to a wonderful time there. All these accomplishments are a team effort. The Holy Spirit is at the forefront, with everyone else enabling me in ways too numerous to count. A special thank you to everyone at the Bridge Church, Sandford Henderson, Glasgow City Gate Church, Glasgow Chinese Grace Church, Friends International and many more. I look forward to the day that I can come visit you again.