2019 Arizona Missions - Jason Ng
A few months prior to going to Arizona, I was talking with Nathan Pun about basically the future. The thought of going back to Arizona was kind of random and came out of nowhere. I had not really thought much about it after starting college, but it was at the moment when it hit me that I really missed the students I had met the previous year. Nathan was talking about how I should go back and reconnect with those I had met and pretty much convinced me to go this year. I told him how I would pray and think about it. However, in the back of my mind, I was thinking I’m not really going to go because of what I experienced the previous year. A few weeks past and one of the Navajos texted me asking how I was doing and how much they missed me. This touched my heart as I felt like my impact wasn’t even that much, but seeing how this Navajo followed up after all this time made me realize I did make an impact to them during my time in Arizona. I think a month before Arizona, Darren had reached out to me about the Thailand missions trip and was trying to get me to go. At first, I was super interested and it seemed like I was going, but that wasn’t the path God wanted to go towards. Instead, it was Arizona. As Arizona was approaching, many of the students I had befriended started texting me and saying, “See you in Arizona!” This was the last motivation I needed to hear as I felt like I could not let them down.
2. How is it different going as a collegian to Arizona?
I think going to Arizona as a collegian is not as scary or difficult as some may say. Sure most of my friends were not going to be with me, but that should not be the reason why people go to Arizona. Though I am super thankful and blessed that Matt Wong and Courtney Quan were there as well. However, the connections you make in Arizona makes you feel at home with the Navajo and they are your friends as well. So you are not as distracted and can spend more time with the Navajo. Being an introvert, this experience should have been a really tough and awkward place for me, but I felt right at home with the Navajo. It was like I never left and it was just another day being with the Navajo. Though the experience as a collegian was not super different than it was in high school. You still get yelled at by Frank and have the same responsibilities as any other high schooler. One thing I will say, though, is the alpha Kevin would not let me drive and that was pretty disappointing. So go to Arizona when you are 25, then that will be the experience.
3. What did God teach/show you this year?
One thing God really showed me this year was how comical He really is. I never thought I would ever say God is comical, but after this trip I will never doubt who and what He is to me. I was dropping some of the students back to their homes with Alpha Kevin, when one of the kids started to cough. The Alpha Kevin started to get worried as he did not want to get sick and I was joshing around with him saying, “ You are going to get sick and when you are unable to drive, I shall take over.” Kevin responded, “ God is going to punish you for saying something like that.” The very next day, I started coughing. At first I did not really think much about it, but looking back, God did indeed punish me and I am humbled by that experience and will never say anything mean to Kevin ever again. Something God taught me was how in control He is. At the beginning of the week, Curtis was dealing with some family issues and needed to be with them. So the teens class took a big hit by losing him, especially me since we were partners. However, I did not really feel anxious about the upcoming VBS. I trusted God and His plan for me. Sure enough, throughout the week, each day was presented with its own task, but I would not worry about the next day and solely focused on that day. As said in Isaiah 41: 10, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God…”
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