Tonight was one of the most special and humbling days
of my life. As I write these words I don't even know
what to say, but tonight I truly experienced the meaning
of "laying down your life" for your brother.

Tonight, I experienced what it means to "sacrifice" and
why sacrifice is so pleasing to the heart of God. The
Lord taught me a lesson tonight, to not doubt young
people, but to believe even a youth can do anything.

I received an offering tonight from my little church of
12 or so young people for $2440.00 to support me
to goto Argentina and experience revival next week.
My heart is so in awe and absolutely astounded by their
sacrifice in giving all that they had to see a dream of
mine come true.

The story behind this mission trip goes back 4 years.
When I was 18 years old I read a book called
"That None Should Perish" by Ed Silvoso. This book
talked about how a city in Argentina of 600,000 with
less than 5% Christian transformed into a city of revival
with now more than 40% Christian~ through the power
of prayer and unity. I never heard up to that point
that an entire city could be transformed by the glory
of God just like the book of Acts. This story of revival
gripped my heart so bad, it became my heart cry for
the city of San Jose for the last 4 years. Oh God if you
did it in Argentina why not in San Jose?

Since reading that book I have always desired to visit
Argentina and experience first hand this 15 year revival
that is still going on. All over, entire cities in Argentina have
come to Christ changing the entire face of the society. From
government, business to education God is tangibly present
everywhere.

Every year Pastor Ed Silvoso who's international ministry
is based in San Jose takes hundreds of people from all
over the world to experience what God's revival in Argentina.
I've always wanted to go, but never had the money or time.

2 months ago after reading Anointed for Business by
Ed Silvoso I begin to burn with a passion to see the
church restored to the marketplace. I heard Ed was doing
not just a city reaching effort this year in Argentina, but
a "nation reaching" effort. Where next week oct 24-Nov 2
every province in Argentina will be doing a simultaneous
prayer onslaught, community outreach onslaught,
evangelism onslaught in every province with thousands of
churches all over Argentina proclaiming Argentina for Christ
through radio, tv, prayer fairs, massive crusades in every
city and state at the same time to see the entire nation
of Argentina reached for Christ!!!

I wanted to go, but I thought I probably wouldn't be able
to because my mom was practically out of work, I am unemployed,
and the trip cost was like $3500. But one night while I was
praying I had this "crazy thought" as I asked God to show
me if I was to go or not. I prayed, "Lord I know this is crazy
but if Ed Silvoso who I don't even think knows who I am asks
me personally to goto Argentina I'll take it as a sign you want
me to go." This is crazy, but the next day the youth director
of Ed Silvoso who is my friend calls me out of the blue and says,
"Jaeson my boss Ed Silvoso gave me strict orders telling me to
tell you, 'you better tell Jaeson Ma to get his butt to Argentina
because he needs to be there!" I was in total shock n' awe...
I didn't even know Pastor Ed knew of me? He must of heard
of some of the minstry I've been doing with young people in
San Jose or something....

Anyways, even after this I still had doubts because of my current
financial situation and having just come back from a Singapore
mission trip. This is where the story of sacrifice begins....

Ted Haas who is the chief intercessor for Ed Silvoso and now attends
my church told me, "Jaeson the Lord told me clearly you need to
goto Argentina so you have to have faith to believe the money will
come in and be set on going." I told him, "I don't know, my family
is struggling financially, I am personally and I have so much school
and ministry." For some reason, he didn't care and knew in his spirit
I was suppose to go.

This week I already thought I wasn't going because the deadline
for the registration was past due and I haven't raised one cent.
Ted calls me yesterday and says, "Jaeson we just got someone
to offer you the plane ticket to Argentina and we at Harvest
Evangelism (Ed's organization) will pay half the bill for you if
you raise the remaining $1350.00 by Friday 5pm. I was grateful,
but said, "How am I going to raise $1350 in two days & my
finances are tight?" He told me I need stop thinking with doubt
and my poverty mentality needs to broken. I need to believe
God for the higher vision and know God will provide.

Even till this morning I was in doubt. I asked a group of business
men for an offering and they could only offer me $10??? I called
and told Ted, "I'm sorry but the money is not coming in." He then
tells me, "Jaeson I just got Pastor Sam (my co-pastor) to seed
$300 and Benjy (youth director Harvest Evangelism) is committed
with his wife to seed $200 more. You are now at $925 to raise!"

Even then I doubted again and said, "well I don't know who else
to ask?" He said, "God told me you are to ask Soul House to send
you to Argentina!" I told him, "Soul House??? They are a bunch
of college students with no money, don't do that to them!" Ted
responded with a rebuke telling me not to doubt the young people,
but I did. He told me he didn't care, but he would come to our
discipleship group tonight and tell them the situation and believe
they would give more than enough.

Well, tonight Ted did come. As I sat and listened to him talk
to my group of college guys about sending me to Argentina
I wanted to run and hide feeling ashamed to ask my little
group of 6 guys if they could fork out some cash to help me
do God's work in Argentina. I doubted they could even give
more than 20 bucks.

But all of a sudden as they prayed for God's will to speak to
them on how much to give I saw two of my guys Alex and Sean
who both themselves are having a hard time paying bills take
out all they had in their wallets. Others began to pull out their
check books and I wanted to weep.

The girls came out from their accountability group shortly after
and when hearing the challenge also began to pray asking God
how much to give? All of a sudden as we sat in the middle
of the office they all felt strongly that they were to send me
to Argentina as a prophetic act to believe God that the revival
in Argentina would happen among the young people of San Jose.

I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw each person pledge one by one
offerings to give to me, throwing their offerings on the floor
in the middle of the room. I can't explain it, but I felt so much
love, so much sacrifice, so much faith, it was beyond what I
have ever experienced. I fell on my knees and began to pray
and at that moment I felt the presence of God come so strong,
but not only His presence, but His pleasure. I finally understood
what it meant by why sacrifice is such a pleasing aroma to the
Lord. I watched as this little youth church of 12 or so college
students pulled out all they had to sacrifice and send their young,
faithless pastor to serve God in Argentina.

One by one the cash, checks and pledges fell to the middle of
the floor. Checks for $200, $182, $411, $27, $300, $1000???
Oh my God, I was in utter brokeness and humble repentance
to the Lord for doubting that youth could sacrifice and bless.
DO NOT LOOK DOWN UPON YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU ARE A
YOUTH! DO NOT SAY I'M BUT A YOUTH! These words kept
ringing in my head. As I continued to pray tears began to
break out among my brothers and sisters, as we realized
this is what it means to lay down your very life, to sacrifice,
to give all that you have and all that you got for your brother,
for the sake of the Cross, this is what it means to be a family
of Christ.

My heart broke and is still breaking because I know most in
that group of 12 or so are struggling financially, but somehow
they gathered the courage and faith in God to give all that
they had. Just like the widow with only 2 mites whom Jesus
commended to have given more than anyone else in the temple,
because she gave all that she had. That is sacrifice and this kind
of giving is pleasing to God because it takes faith. Indeed,
it does take faith to please God and tonight I know God was
smiling and pleased over that offering of $2440 from a group
of young college kids.

There pockets were empty, but there hearts were full. I'm heading
off to Argentina next Thursday night and its because my little
church of 12 college students decided to give everything they
got to see revival come to their generation.

Can you believe they gave me over and above $1500 more than
what I needed? I told them I would put the rest back in the Soul
House account, but they told me, "Jaeson just keep the money
and use it to help your mom pay rent, we love you." I love you
guys too!!!!!!!

Tonight indeed was another turning point in our ministry. We have
not only changed our church name to "The Waiting Place" but that
seed planted tonight was a seed of revival. It was a seed that broke
the head of the serpent and the stronghold of poverty over our
minds. For from this day forth God will pour forth so much financial
blessing from heaven into this ministry that we will not be able to
contain it. In order that we wold feed, clothe and provide for the
poor and the needy all over our city, our nation and the nations
of the world. I believe it. Why not?

Lord thank you for Sean, Alex, Tyrone, John, Kevin, Timmy, Erica,
Amie, Laura, Tamika, Ashley and Patty. These are the ones you
have given me and may I love them the way You loved your disciples,
that the world may know that You are Jesus Christ the Son of God!

thankful.
humbled.
in awe.

luv You Daddy!!!!!!

posted by Jaeson Ma @ 10/16/2003 10:54:00 PM