Cup of Cold Water Ministries
Stories from the field
A Collection of Stories From The Heart Of A Missionary
Meet our Cup of Cold Water Ministries Next Generation Scholarship Recipient ~ Zola Sad, depressed, hurt, alone and hopeless. Those are the main words describing the childhood life that I survived. In Mongolia, the sun came up and a new day began. But I didn’t want to get up because the night before was all too short. During the night my parents argued the fighting was so intense. My father was violent and mom was hurt badly. We left in the darkness of night. But we had no where to go. It was dark and dangerous in the ger district area where the roads are simply dirt and the homes are stacked thoughtlessly throughout a maze of slum district. We wandered in the cold. Mom was completely overwhelmed as she tried to find a place to shelter her three little girls. No luck. Hopeless, mom walked us back home. We quietly entered thankful that my father was asleep. No more violence tonight. But still my tears were easily flowing and I needed to hide and cry in my bed. And this story repeated itself throughout my childhood. Sadly, my father's alcohol addiction created a tired abusive string of memories. Yet I do not judge him. My father was one of fourteen siblings and they were all leading difficult lives in the poverty of Mongolia. He too had lost his childhood. Seven of his siblings passed away suddenly at a young age due to suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction Most who survived, are still struggling with excessive alcohol consumption. Therefore, my mother had to work hard to take care of us. My siblings and I used to sell things in an open market to make a living. Due to my financial struggle at home and family situation, I was often challenged at my school by classmates who mocked and teased me. It was hurtful. Sometimes I wanted to take my life during my teenage years. But there is a hope… You see, because of all those hardships, I sought God. Without them, maybe I never would have. In 1998, a local church was planted by Korean missionaries right in my neighborhood. The missionaries invited me to Sunday school. I was only seven years old. I couldn't resist this new church and found my way into my first Christian experience. From that day forward I’ve attended the church every Sunday even though my entire family was Buddhist. I found peace there. I would pray for my family, especially my father. One day, after attending church for quite some time, my pastor’s wife invited me to her home and gave me a chance to talk about my life. She listened carefully and shared God’s word with me and led me in prayers. I cried a lot and felt the touch of the Holy Spirit deeply in my heart. It was a turning point for me and I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I made a decision to get baptized when I was fourteen years old. It was difficult since my family disagreed with my faith and saw it as a Western religion, but I knew what I had found and I could not turn back. My life, my future, my entire path was changed because of Jesus. Through the word of God and love of Christian brothers and sisters, I’ve overcome all the depression, I've survived the life long crisis. I'm living the abundant life promised those who follow Jesus. Now I want to help others who are living in the pain I was in as a little girl. Two years ago I came to the United States with hope to learn, to grow, and to go back to Mongolia stronger. At that time, without much of a plan, I prayed for God to lead me, provide for me, take care of me as I tried to make my way. And He did. He provided work. He provided energy to do that work. He provided friends. I became a volunteer with Cup of Cold Water Ministries, serving in the workshops and teaching people about missions. After all, I am a living testimony of why missionaries must be sent. I am ready for my new journey to study at Moody Bible Institute. I have paid more than half my semester and pray for the funding to complete my payments. I'm going to get my masters in counseling and take it back to my hurting people. Peace, joy, love, fellowship and hope. These are the words that can describe me now. Thank you Jesus. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds. To Donate Now using credit, debit or PayPal
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Stories From The Past
November 2019
Who Writes The Stories?
Our stories are authored by a collection of missionaries who have served and learned both at home and abroad Categories
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