Park Su-hyeon
Earlier this year, Pretoria Zion members in South Africa spent a month on a short-term mission trip to Rustenburg, a city about ninety minutes away by car. The brothers and sisters there had been keeping the regulations of God on their own until a house church was recently established, allowing them to finally gather and worship together. The Pretoria members came together with one heart—to support the house church leader, who looks after the members despite a busy work schedule, to share God’s love with the members who had kept their faith in solitude, and to find our long-lost heavenly family in Rustenburg.
At first, Rustenburg seemed like a prosperous city, but frequent power outages and water shortages told a different story. During our stay, it rained for about two weeks, and on dry days, water was cut off for three days, forcing us to rely on what we had stored in tanks. On some days, both electricity and water went out at the same time, leaving us to take cold showers. Despite these challenges, none of our team members complained. Even on pitch-dark nights, we used the light from our phones to study the Bible.
Shortly after we began preaching, we met someone who showed interest in the truth. But a few days later, after hearing groundless slander against the Church of God, they closed their heart to us. We had poured ourselves into every Bible study with them, convinced that they were truly part of our heavenly family. So, when things didn’t unfold as we had hoped, the pain was deep and tears filled our eyes. When we tried visiting again, they were out, and even our calls were met with a cold request to be left alone.
As we walked back, heavy-hearted, an elderly approached us and asked what we were doing there. When we told him that we had come to share the words of God, he said he was eager to study the Bible himself and promised to come to our church the next day.
True to his word, he came to our church the next morning, and we shared the truth with him. After studying that the biblical Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday, he said,
“Since God commanded us to observe the Sabbath, shouldn’t we follow His command? I want to keep the Sabbath, too.”
Having engraved God’s commandments in his heart, he joined us on the early Sabbath morning journey to Pretoria Zion for worship. Upon arriving, Brother Andrew, newly born as child of God, received the blessing of keeping the Sabbath. Since then, he has faithfully observed God’s commandments and diligently studied the Bible.
Brother Likhona, who received the blessing of new life on the last day of our short-term mission, was also among those who first approached us, curious about the truth. He came to Zion on the Sabbath, studied the Bible diligently, and obeyed each teaching immediately. Once he understood the Sabbath, he stopped attending Sunday worship, and when he learned the teachings of God on idols, he immediately removed the cross necklace he had been wearing. Seeing these two brothers, we came to truly understand Mother’s words: “If you preach earnestly, people will see the light of the truth and come to you.”
During those long rainy days, people were reluctant to listen, and I often found myself wishing I could escape the storm and hide under a warm blanket. But each time such weakness crept in, I felt ashamed, and my thoughts turned to Mother. How much more must She, who remembers the joy of heaven, long for rest and yearn to return? Tears filled my eyes at the thought. I felt sorry for my weakness, yet grateful for Her grace in allowing me take part in the gospel despite my shortcomings.
Even after our short-term mission ended, the connections made during that time continue, and Bible studies are still ongoing. I earnestly pray that they, too, will come into God’s embrace and grow into gospel workers who will stand as pillars supporting Rustenburg Zion.
The month we spent in Rustenburg was truly a gift—a time when I could feel the tender care of our Heavenly Father and Mother. When we were weighed down with heartache in the gospel, They comforted us with the joy of bearing fruits. When we felt like collapsing, They lifted us up, reminding us of the sacrifices They themselves had endured.
Preaching in ease and comfort, I had never fully grasped the depth of Their love. But through this short-term mission, I came to understand why we must give thanks even in the midst of difficulties. Within every trial lies the blessing of recognizing the love of our Father and Mother. From now on, I will give thanks all the more in times of hardship and walk faithfully with Them each day until the heavenly gospel is fulfilled.