Cloud of Witnesses – Celebrating 210^th Anniversary of International Ministries

Pastor Kenny Auyeung

Chinese Missionary Baptist Church of New York

Grateful and In Awe

Recalling the night our church leaders and I met Pastor Ben Chan and his wife Becky at a Chinatown restaurant always fills me with gratefulness and awe.

In July of 2018, Pastor Ben visited us in New York City.  Towards the end of dinner, he asked if we were open to consider ministry in either India or Nepal.  We said, “Yes!”  We go wherever the Spirit leads.

Shortly after, Pastor Ben followed-up with an opportunity to provide children ministry training to the Nepal Baptist Church Council in Nepal.  We were new to Nepal, and to hosting training conferences.  To ensure ministry excellence, he and his assistant Carole Sydnor prepared us well – from crafting the agenda, reviewing training material, translations, cultural expectations to the details of a visa, travel insurance and accommodations.  In budgeting, Pastor Ben through IM graciously provided financial support to host the training.  What a blessing of God’s grace through IM’s servants!  We are grateful for Pastor Ben’s generosity and Carole’s guidance.

In April of 2019, Carole welcomed us to Nepal and successfully hosted the training conference.  In less than five years, we trained 411 churches to run children ministry in 455 locations across Nepal.  IM opened Nepal to us. Our purpose was to reach the unreached in unreachable regions.  Praise God!  In awe of His wondrous work!

In Hong Kong: Pastor Ben, through IM, provided a theological scholarship to our local pastor for seminary training.  During the height of COVID, in 2021 we launched our daughter church.  For Hong Kong, we are unique.  A distinctively multi-cultural church reaching out to impoverished ethnic minorities and Chinese immigrants.  A light shines on top of a hill.

We are witnesses of God’s goodness in using IM’s servants to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ across nations.  We are grateful for IM.  We are in awe of God.

*Ben Chan: Special thanks to Cathy Holmes for proof-reading the article.