Sandra Lima in East Timor - December 2019 Update
Reaching the Lost: Sandra Lima in East Timor
“Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now!” –
Elisabeth Elliot
The grace and love of Christ be upon all!
Dear friends,
Sandra Lima in East Timor – December has started and with it much celebration and reflections for the coming year. Here in Timor, the reality is no different. Christmas and New Year parties are part of the Timorese culture. However, before congratulating my partners in the mission, I want to share with you the experiences, opportunities and challenges I have experienced in recent months.
1. My Work Visa – Thank God I managed to renew my work visa through which I am allowed to stay for another year in the country. The document entry process can be very stressful for several reasons, but the Lord helped me on this matter.
2. Margarida – As you already know, Margarida is a Young-East-Timorese woman who has given us a lot of joy. In general, she has succeeded in many important stages in her life, even though she is aware that she needs some improvement in other areas. Now, I want to tell you about an experience I had with Margarida.
Margarida's Story
One day, around 7 am, Margarida knocked on my door holding a document file, and said, “Sandra, can you keep those documents?” She then explained the situation. “Sandra, my family found out that I am now an evangelical. My mother and brother called me saying that I had abandoned the Timorese culture and the only way to solve this problem would be letting my brother to beat me and destroy all my documents.” Then she decided to leave the capital to go to talk with her family. I asked her if she was not worried by the situation. Before she left, we prayed together. Even before leaving to visit her family in the mountains, she decided not to be baptized. Sometime later, she went back on her decision, and firmly said that still this month she will be baptized. Well, she has been twice with her family, but nothing has happened to her, no one dared to raise the subject about her conversion. She is delighted with God’s action.
4. Place of Work– In my previous letter, I told you that I had taken a step of faith concerning renting an appropriate place to develop my work of translation, among other activities. So, I rented a room in an organization from July until the end of December. Well, the Lord is faithful! In 2020, however, challenges will be greater, and I will need a more spacious and fitting place for me to work with my translation project, and to develop a teaching material for the training of the Timorese.
In other words, additional resources are needed. I do not know how I can get them, but God already knows! If JUVEP Mission allows it, I will be a partner with the WEC International Mission, and together with them we will succeed in renting another place. That means that we are sharing our expenses, which is such a relief for me financially. Still I need, as I mentioned, resources to cover my expenses concerning the Project itself. If you would like to help and bless this Project, please help me!
5. Tell a Story Project: First Step – I am happy with the progress of this Project, even though it is a pioneering work for me, the Lord has helped me doing it. There is still a lot of work ahead. Between successes and mistakes in its process, I am learning how to make and develop it. It feels like I am building a big boat, I just do not know when it is going to rain. Even so, I need to be obedient to my Lord. But sometimes I feel alone. Your support is needed!
I need others to help me with their skills. Working alone is very difficult. For example, I need some professionals like book designers and illustrators working with me. If you can help me and you are willing to do it, join me in this Project. You can do that right where you are. You know, technology allows you to do this kind of job in the comfort of your home. Although it is not a huge Project, as I said, it is simple. However, I am sure it will have a great impact on people’s lives.
8. Trip – On December 13, I will be out of Timor for approximately 20 days. I will also visit a friend who works in Vietnam. During the Christmas period I will stay there along with two other missionaries. This friend of mine worked for four years in East Timor, but the Lord directed her to another field. Since then, she has been working in Vietnam for two years. Please, pray for this trip and for the Lord’s provision.
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Finally, dear friends, let us set our hearts on the Lord. I wish you with all my heart a Christmas full of joy, and peace, and also a New Year full of blessings and spiritual growth. And know that I am always grateful to God for your support.
In the love of Christ,
Sandra Lima
A Teaching and Translation Journey
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4: 11 – NIV).