The Mission of God
Missionary Hannah Lee
Isaiah 49:22 – Thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,
and raise my signal to the peoples;
and they shall bring your sons in their arms,
and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
Our guest speaker, missionary Hannah Lee, shared her testimony about being called by God to serve at age 55 to go and serve the people in Afghanistan. Despite initial worries, she followed the Holy Spirit’s promptings, understanding her mission as expressed in Romans 14:8 — “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” An earthquake in Afghanistan deeply impacted her understanding of this scripture, helping her see that her mission was a form of martyrdom, as she prayed that her life and death would be solely for Jesus.
Through her journey, she learned the importance of intercession and obedience. She went to Afghanistan expecting to serve the Afghan people, but the Holy Spirit had nudged her to serve other missionaries, which led to unexpected blessings and open doors. Many missionaries who had served many years had invited her to join their organizations in many positions and capacities, often requiring skills and acumen that she lacked. However, despite her lack of experience, she continued to pray to God and saw growth in her businesses and ministries.
One night, the Holy Spirit warned her that that Taliban was after her life and prompted her to escape. Following her time in Afghanistan, she moved to Lesbos Island, Greece and continued her ministry working to oversee Afghan and Iranian refugee ministries in both Greece and Germany. There, their ministries were blessed and saw many who were both baptized and sent to Bible colleges for studies. When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, Hannah returned to the U.S. to work with Afghan refugees through World Relief in Dallas-Fort Worth. She used her language skills in Farsi to teach English, assist with paperwork, and help refugees transition to U.S. life.
In her closing statements, missionary Hannah shared her vision of an expanding mission for refugee churches in the U.S., especially in states with significant refugee populations, where providing care, meeting basic needs, and showing the love of Jesus Christ can open doors for sharing the gospel. She concludes her message with Isaiah 49:22, where God promises to draw in and raise His banner to His people. Missionary Hannah hoped that this would serve as an encouragement for us all that despite the struggles we face, if we focus our eyes and look to Jesus, He will lead us.
Reflection Questions:
What were your main takeaways from this week’s message?
Missionary Hannah was called to missions at age 55 and promptly obeyed with a desire to live and die for Jesus. Can we foresee having the same fervor for God if we were called? Why or why not?
