God’s Plans and Purposes / Linda Ignatius  | AO worker 

Darlene Zschech of Hillsongs pointed out, in a wonderful talk she gave: ‘The two greatest days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.’ This is my story…

When my mother was taken into the labour room to give birth to me there were some major complications. My dad was told that the baby would not survive and my mother’s chance was only 70 percent. My poor dad was in deep shock when he heard that. He had four small children already and they needed a mother and he needed his wife. He begged the doctors to save his wife. In despair he rushed to church to pray, begging God to intervene and save his wife and child.

That was the first miracle in my life. My mother had a normal birth and I was born healthy. Even at my birth, the enemy did not want me to be born but God has His own plans for me. Nowadays in my morning devotion I am reminded of how much He loves and knows me intimately.

Psalm 139:13-17

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts oh God! How vast is the sum of them!”

 I grew up in a traditional Christian home and my parents were God fearing people who loved the Lord and we were very involved with the traditions and activities of the church. I always felt there was more to God that we actually knew. I don’t know why but we never read the Bible although we had a big one proudly displayed in our house. I longed sometimes to know this God not just His mother, Mary or ‘grandmother Ann’ but know him and talk to him directly. I was told at school that if children wanted something, they would go to their mother not their father directly, and she in turn would speak to the father for you. This was the same with God I was told and we were not encouraged to go to Him directly.

 As I grew up from child to teenager and then to an adult, I always felt the strong presence of God in my life. There were many a time when I felt the presence of God lifting me from danger, an unseen hand protecting me always. Though I was keenly aware of His presence I was caught up with childhood pursuits and the struggles of being a teenager. With new emotions taking over and trying to find my place as a young adult, I pushed God further and further to the back of my mind. It became a constant struggle to keep my eyes fixed on God, and to not become distracted by the passing concerns and things of this world.

 God, however never left me or forgot about me. Once I became a mother my awareness of God in my life returned and I sought Him and wanted to get to know Him intimately. Being a wife, mother and working full time has its challenges and sometime the burdens got too heavy for me. Often, I would run to Him crying out for help.  He never failed me. I did not see it then because I waited in anticipation for some sign or big bang miracle but there was none. Yet my problems were solved and I found myself having His peace. I still knew so little of God.

 While working in an airline in the ticketing office in Penang, I came in contact frequently with foreign missionaries and I began to question them on their calling and their ministry. Knowing I was a Christian they would come directly to my counter and my colleagues called my cubicle the ‘missionary corner’. I believe that God was already preparing me for His plans and purposes even back then.

 In life, sometimes we go through significant storms as well. No lightning or thunder, no rain or wind, but significant physical, mental, emotional and spiritual storms. I went through quite a few of these in my life but through it all I know the Lord was there with me, right in the middle of my storms. His presence provided me with hope even in the midst of my fears and even when I suffered from faithlessness, Jesus remained with me.

 I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 1996 and when the doctor broke the news to me, I was shattered and angry. As I sat in the car on the way home, I cried out, “Why me Lord?” The answer I got was “Why not you?” We live in a fallen world and sickness is part of our world but God is our healer. I had the cancerous nodules removed and praise God I did not need Chemo and radiation. I saw the hand of the Lord upon my life and it became clearer that He was fighting my battles for me. Soon after that, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I felt renewed and I wanted to develop and have an intimate relationship with Jesus. 

I had met the former secretary of Asian Outreach some time ago. When the then Executive Director Rev Eric Fung came to Penang, I met up with him and his wife over lunch and little did I know that one day I would be working with him. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would move to Kuala Lumpur to live and work. Again, I did not know then what God’s plan and purpose was for me.

 To cut a long story short, I moved to Kuala Lumpur in 2011 to be near my three children who were all working in KL. I knew that God had a plan for me here in KL and while I was on holiday in the UK, I asked the Lord to get me a job in a Christian organization. I told Him I was willing to do anything as long as I could serve Him in some small way. Two weeks after my return, I sat on my computer at home and asked the Holy Spirit to guide and reveal to me who I should contact. The name of Asian Outreach came to mind and I sent an email offering them my services. Within minutes I got a reply asking me to come for an interview and I was hired, a day that changed my life forever.

 I have been working for AOM for the past 10 years and what an awesome journey it has been. Karen Watson, a missionary in Iraq wrote these words which I have come to see in the missionaries that I have had the honour and privilege to works with.

The missionary heart:

Cares more than some think is wise; Risks more that some think is safe; Dreams more than some think is practical; Expects more than some think is possible.

 It has been my privilege to work in Asian Outreach alongside the team here. To see the strength and perseverance of our missionaries and foot soldiers has been such an encouragement to me. I always thought one had to go out there in the mission fields to serve the Lord but I know now that we can serve the Lord in whatever He has called us to do. It’s the heart of Jesus in us. The Lord seeks for a person with a missionary's heart. He tests hearts through asking them to give, pray, go and obey. Where is your missionary heart?

 I have been blessed to work with Rev. Eric Fung, our former Executive Director who saw the capabilities in me that I was too blind to see for myself. He pushed me beyond what I thought was my limit and always encouraged me to go a step higher. Throughout my journey God sent many ‘Angels’ to help me along the way. What a tremendous blessing it is to see or take part in a ministry in which those involved feel deeply loved, valuable to others and significant to the family of God as a whole.

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”