God reignites my heart for the Chinese-speaking People on our first tour stop in Cali

Written by Ashly Estrada on April 19th, 2026

It had been a long day laboring in prayer and a powerful night capturing media at First Evangelical Church of San Gabriel Valley. I got the chance to sit and be fully present until near the end of the sermon. And right at that moment, the preacher, the director of our ministry, David Kim, decided to give his testimony on his first mission trip. "My church had an opportunity to go to China, and I just had to go," said Kim. And he began to weep when he told us about all the sacrifices he had to make to get on a plane to Asia when he was just 16 years old. And I began to weep too, as I began to remind myself of how my heart used to burn for the Chinese-speaking people specifically, and not just the great commission as a whole.

I continued to weep because as Kim described, the sacrifices he made when he was just a 17-year-old-- studying extra hard during his junior year of high school while selling candies everywhere to raise enough money for his mission trip. " They called me the candy man!" he exclaimed amidst tears. I was so moved as I knew, the cost I have paid, even at such a young age, is really high. Withdrawing from college before senior year, sleepless nights spent in prayer, days spent fundraising instead of vacationing, etc., etc. But at the moment, I knew that no sacrifice was too high, for I was getting to be a part of a historic era in history. To witness the Chinese church being called to accept the passing on of the torch of the gospel from the American church, and labor in prayer for their hearts to say yes.

It was like my heart was refreshed from all weariness, for the intense days that were going to pass. But admist and intense prayer, travel, and media capture schedule, there was a lunch meet that the Evangelical Formosan Church of Phoenix had prepared for us. As our team sat next to Chinese-speaking brothers and sisters after a Sunday Service, eating Chinese food, and drinking Jujube Tea, my heart rejoiced. I was filled with gladness, because now, with this revitalized perspective for God's heart for the Chinese-speaking people, I knew it was an honor to be there.