Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
-1 Thessalonians 5:11

Bubble tea is one of the strangest, most refreshing and best tasting drinks you can get today. At between three to four dollars a pop, it is comparable to your favorite coffee drink, only better for you. There is a seemingly endless list of ingredients and options that make the head spin. The first time I had bubble tea, it was a gift from someone I worked with. She knew I wasn’t having the best day and she thought I could use a little something. Well, I was hooked. I just had to find out where that heavenly confection came from. My wife found this place way in the back of an unremarkable shopping complex off the main road; inconspicuous and tiny.

Just yesterday, we trekked there in search of more of this excellent culinary delight. I ordered a blueberry bubble tea shake with coconut meat and blueberry tapioca jelly. The girl behind the counter was very helpful…friendly and patient. My wife and our friend, who came with us, also ordered a drink.

As we sat in the oversized, art-deco booths, the girl behind the counter began to ask us questions about where we were going. She must have overheard us talking about our pending move into the mission field. We gladly explained the details. She, all of a sudden, brightened even more and began to tell us about her situation:

She must go back to Hong Kong, later this week, for a while to help her family. She stated that she had just recently become a Christian and that she did not know how to handle the inevitable conflict she would face there. Her entire family is Buddhist and would not approve at all. She also expressed some feelings of isolation in her own environment, here, for similar reasons. She was pretty much alone. Yes, she has a church, but they only speak Indonesian, of which she has limited understanding. Yet, here she was, doing her best to stay connected. She talked of her past and her desire not to return to it. Her plea was evident in her eyes. “Is it really going to be okay? Is this really the right thing?”

We prayed…right there in the middle of the bubble tea shop…cameras and all. We prayed for strength, safe travel and peace. With the little time we had, we encouraged her to stay strong in the word and to have faith in the one to whom she now belonged. There, in that small, unseen place, on the verge of doubt, her fear subsided and her eyes lifted. We exchanged information. She expressed interest in joining us in our mission when she is done in Hong Kong. I believe she will. God is good.

I was brought back to the original act of compassion by my friend, bringing me bubble tea at work during a rough day. This is how the Kingdom works. This is how God handles his business. This is how he gets things done; through the willingness of his people to act on his behalf; be it bubble tea or prayer. The world is full of small shops and rooms that are occupied by those needing encouragement. Don’t ever disregard the impact that even the smallest amount of positive dialogue can have on the minds and hearts of your brothers and sisters. If it involves encouraging or uplifting another; when in doubt…blurt it out.

And “J.”, my sister, wherever you may find yourself, you can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens you. You are not alone. You never were. Believe it.