During my student years, I came to realize the vision of completing world evangelism through the youth like the morning dew. It filled me with a desire to be part of this prophetic mission. When I heard that there were still many regions in Africa where the gospel of the new covenant hadn’t yet been preached, I made a firm decision: When I became a young adult, I would go to Africa.
The long-awaited year I turned twenty, the COVID-19 pandemic shut the borders of nearly every country. I felt helpless, unsure of what to do. But then I heard Heavenly Mother say, “The gospel hasn’t stopped—it has changed direction.” Encouraged by Her words, I devoted myself to the activities of IUBA (International University Student Bible Academy) and waited patiently for an opportunity. That opportunity finally came: Before graduating college, I was able to go on a short-term mission trip to Durban, South Africa.
Because it was a dream come true, I set out on the mission with joy and firm determination, joining my teammates in promising that we would surely fulfill our gospel goals. But just a week after our arrival, we were met with unexpected challenges. South Africa, located at the southernmost tip of the continent, is a multiethnic nation with eleven official languages, each shaped by different cultures and religions. Many Christians there held strong pride in their faith and biblical knowledge, which made it difficult to break through their deeply rooted misconceptions. On top of that, we faced obstacles such as false rumors circulating online, distorted doctrines, and a morally confused society—all of which made the mission more difficult than we had expected.
Watching people acknowledge the truth with their lips yet still walk away reminded me of Heavenly Father, who once climbed a mountain alone, crying out, “Here I am,” while seeking His lost children. Experiencing this situation firsthand helped me understand—not just with my head but with my heart—the pain God must have felt. As I read the Truth Books, I could feel Father’s heart in every word and tears fell from my eyes.
I had to let go of the stable and comfortable life of faith I was used to and learn everything anew, adapting to local circumstances. Each morning, we prayed together as a mission team, asking God to teach us what true patience, sacrifice, and preaching according to His will looked like. God answered those prayers through the local members. Unlike us, who were often focused on numbers, they sincerely cared about how to spiritually nourish and help new members grow in faith. Their dedication moved us deeply.
From then on, we made a new commitment—to preach not out of obligation, but with love that aims to save each soul and care for them to the end. Whenever someone came to Zion to study the Bible, we would join them regardless of who they were. After they were baptized, we made sure to help them stay connected to the church, both online and offline.
It wasn’t easy to keep in touch with everyone. But just as our Father and Mother never gave up on us, we couldn’t give up on them, either. Even when our feet were swollen and our shoes wore out, we met with people ten, twenty times—again and again—to share the truth. We poured our sincerity into our voices, longing for them to hear God’s voice and return to Zion.
God always responded. When we repented with tears, He led us to one soul. When we didn’t give up, He allowed us to bear fruit. When we united with local members, He blessed us with good gospel outcomes. Even in places where we wondered, “Could there really be someone here who will accept?”—we found pure and beautiful brothers and sisters. I recalled Mother’s words: “No step taken for the gospel is ever in vain.” I couldn’t help but tear up.
Those three months were, above all, a time when my own soul was saved. The hardships were nothing compared with the blessings I received. The joy of finding even one soul was far greater than the pain of hitting the walls of reality.
Many members at Durban Zion had only recently accepted God, yet their faith wasn’t immature. They valued the truth of the new covenant and preached it with confidence. They fed others the word of God right after they received it. Even during frequent power outages, they never stopped studying the Bible. They were true gospel workers. Watching them, I could feel that they were active and alive spiritually in the gospel.
One brother who received the blessing of new life during our mission trip moved us deeply when he said goodbye: “Thank you for let me know Heavenly Mother. I will never forget you for showing me a good church and teaching me the truth. I’m thankful to Heavenly Father and Mother for guiding us to meet. Let’s definitely see each other again.”
I am truly grateful to God Elohim for giving me the vision of the youth like the dew of the dawn and for teaching me the heart and attitude I must have for the gospel. I’m so happy to walk this journey of faith, full of the hope of heaven, with Father and Mother by my side.