Brook and Mike
CBF Field Personnel, Southeast Asia
Esau is the youngest in his family. He is the third of four siblings to have come through our ministry for university students here in Southeast Asia. The others have graduated and Esau will soon. Although many times we are mentored by our mentors, sometimes, we are mentored by our mentees. We have looked at expanding our ministry team through the pandemic and we have been weighing individuals in our ministry. For two years, I have had my eyes set on Esau’s taking a leadership role.
He is not your typical leadership candidate. He is one of the younger members of our group and he is quiet. He’s not shy, but he is careful not to speak out of turn. He is slow to speak, but quick to listen. He waits for others to move into their own conversations and then he comes to me to ask questions, deep and profound questions, that the others do not expect from him.
For the last year, Esau had been applying for a job that he knew nothing about. We have seen his helpfulness, his willingness to work when others are happy to sit, his desire to learn new things and push past his comfort zone, and his courage to lead our men’s Bible study, men who are older than he. And, recently, he said yes to joining our team after graduation.
In our country, the pandemic is just now ending, and things are returning to normal. Esau will graduate in a month and the whole world is ahead of him. Esau is helping me to see the world and ministry potential with younger eyes. His faithfulness and his helpfulness remind me of our role as servants, not just teachers. Esau is encouraging me to be quick to listen, slow to speak and to ask difficult questions, even when I know I may not like the answers or that I would have to change. Most importantly, after a long pandemic with so many losses, Esau is reminding me of God’s impact even in dark times and the hope for the next generation of Christ’s servants in this country.
Pray. . .Give. . .Go.