God reignites my heart for the Chinese-speaking People during our first tour stop in California

Written by Ashly Estrada on April 19th, 2026

At First Evangelical Church of San Gabriel Valley, before our first prayer meeting, there.

It had been a long day of laboring in prayer and a powerful night capturing media at First Evangelical Church of San Gabriel Valley. Near the end of the sermon, I finally sat down to be fully present. That’s when our ministry director, David Kim, began sharing his testimony from his first mission trip.

"My church had an opportunity to go to China, and I just had to go,” he said — and suddenly he was weeping. He was only 16 then, sacrificing everything to get on a plane to Asia. As he spoke, something in me broke open. I remembered how my own heart once burned specifically for the Chinese‑speaking world, not just the Great Commission in general.

Kim went on to describe studying late into the night during his junior year of high school, selling candy everywhere he went just to raise enough money. “They called me the candy man!” he laughed through tears. And I wept again — because I knew the cost I’ve paid at a young age too. Withdrawing from college before senior year. Sleepless nights in prayer. Days spent fundraising instead of resting. But in that moment, I felt the Lord remind me: no sacrifice is too high when you’re living in a historic hour.

I get to witness the Chinese church being called to receive the torch of the gospel from the American church — and I get to labor in prayer for their hearts to say yes.

My spirit felt refreshed for the intense days ahead. We got to Arizona. And in the middle of many prayer meetings, travel, and media work, the Evangelical Formosan Church of Phoenix prepared lunch for us. I got to sit amongst my Chinese‑speaking brothers and sisters after Sunday service, eating Chinese food and drinking jujube tea! My heart rejoiced. For, with this renewed clarity of God’s heart for the Chinese‑speaking people, I knew — it is an honor to be here.

The Lord gives me the opportunity to see the answers to my prayers for our first tour stop in California; the American-chinese church beginning to be awakened by the Holy Spirit.