“Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” - 1 John 5:5
Greetings and Happy New Year! This new year holds a lot of promises, and I hope that you’re looking forward to it! I’m personally looking forward to another great year here in Korea! It’s hard to believe that I’ve been in Korea for almost a year and a half now, but I really can’t imagine being anywhere else right now! Week by week I’m learning more about our God and Father, and more about who I am in Christ!
This winter I’ve decided to once again go on missions with New Philadelphia Church. I’m super excited this time because, not only will it be my fourth missions trip, but I’m going to be going to the Philippines, my motherland! When I heard that we were going to the Philippines this winter, I couldn’t pass the trip up! More specifically, we will be going to General Santos City, also known as GenSan. We leave for the Philippines on January 24th, and we will be returning the morning of February 1st.
Recently, I got the verse above, 1 John 5:5, in a dream. I believe it reveals a great deal about not just who I am, but also why I’m going on this trip. Over the past few weeks God has been moving on my heart for the fatherless in our generation. This issue is most clearly seen in the lives of children. I really want to go to the Philippines and impact the youths who have been orphaned, those who have been poor and starving, and those who have grown up in broken families. I want to help them overcome the world that puts them in a box because of their backgrounds! I want to show them that Christ loves them and wants to set them free! And thankfully, our victory isn’t in our strength or ability to achieve it, but “…the victory that has overcome the world (is) our faith!” 1 John 5:4 These children can find victory on their own, by faith! It’s a good thing children are known for their faith! I believe that through this trip, our team, and through the Filipino youth, the Lord is going to release the Philippines into a revival!
I want you to partner with me on this missions trip. While you may not be going yourself, without people back home sending us, our team would not be nearly as effective! Your prayers and support are an incredibly vital part of our missions team. Each member of our team needs to raise W700,000 for this trip, myself included. So please consider supporting me and my team, through prayer or financially! And as you support me, rest assured, I will be sure to let you know the testimony of our trip and how you made an impact. Thank you so much for your time in reading this letter!
Blessings on your New Year!
Matthew Ko