Making Room for Him

Margaret Chen shares her journey of learning to let go and trust God on the mission field.

Before embarking on our medical mission trip to Mae Sot, we faced a familiar challenge: the unsettling feeling of being insufficiently prepared – not having all the details we thought we needed. Due to the lack of internet connectivity, time zone differences, cultural barriers, or sheer lack of time, some uncertainty always seemed to accompany these trips. But this time, there was an added layer of unease – reports of flooding in the area. While we made light of it, joking about doing flood relief work instead, I felt a quiet anxiety beneath the surface. Were we truly ready?

Amid all this, I sent a text message to the group: “Embrace the unknown, it will be fun! More room for God to move!” What seemed like a playful comment at that time carried a much deeper meaning. As an event planner, I’m wired to ensure every detail is meticulously in place. Letting go of control doesn’t come naturally to me, much less dealing with the unpredictable circumstances of a mission trip. Yet, at that moment, Proverbs 19:21 rang in my heart: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Surrendering my expectations wasn’t easy, but God granted me a peace that surpassed my need for control, reminding me that His plan would unfold regardless of how prepared I felt.

This call to surrender was even more evident when I had to lead the children’s programme. Initially, we were advised to explore art therapy or psychological first aid to minister – neither of which I was trained in. As I prayed for direction, God guided me to integrate journaling with inner healing. However, the real challenge was figuring out how to introduce inner healing to children dealing with depression, lack of motivation, and addiction to drugs and TikTok. While I had prior experience in inner healing ministry to individuals, adapting this to a group of children within limited time and space felt almost insurmountable. Besides, there were only three of us available to minister to over 200 children. The task felt overwhelming.

At this point, I turned to Sozo as a ministry tool, trusting that God could use it to speak directly into these children’s hearts, even though I was still unsure if a simple worksheet would make a difference. My hope was to help them recognise that Jesus was with them in their pain and to introduce Him as their ever-present companion. Yet, I feared that this wouldn’t work. “All this would amount to nothing if they didn’t engage,” I thought to myself.

I was reminded that this wasn’t about my efforts – it was about God’s power, as Zechariah 4:6 reminds us: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Before starting the activity, we prayed with the children, inviting the Holy Spirit to stir their hearts. I could sense God’s presence tangibly, not just in the children, but within me as well. By His grace, after that first session, we saw the children beginning to warm up. They shared deep wounds and traumas, long concealed from even their closest friends.

As we highlighted these cases to the local teachers, it became clear that many of them were also unequipped to help us. Many of the teachers had gone through traumatic experiences themselves, facing similar struggles.

We soon realised that we needed to minister to the children’s caregivers as well, so we expanded the sessions to include them, trusting that God would bring healing not just to the children but to the entire community.

In the days that followed, we uncovered stories of brutal violence and abuse, painful memories far

beyond anything I had encountered before. At times, I felt completely inadequate to minister to the people.

Yet, 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminded me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” I wasn’t there to fix everything; I was there to be a vessel. And in that role, I saw God move in powerful ways.

What struck me most was that these children had never shared their pain with anyone before, and this was the start of a breakthrough. Simply being heard was the start of their healing journey – a tear, a cry, each like a prayer lifted to the Lord.

On the final day, we gathered the children for a time of worship and soaking in prayer. We weren’t sure how they would respond, but we trusted God to work in their hearts. As we worshipped, the phrase “break my heart for what breaks Yours” kept echoing in my spirit. I felt God urge me to stand in the gap for the children’s parents, to embrace these children and remind them that they were loved, seen, and never alone. The presence

of God was overwhelming, and as I prayed over them, my heart broke for their pain in ways I hadn’t expected.

Psalm 34:18 became real to me in that moment: “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who

are crushed in spirit.”

This mission trip taught me one of the most profound lessons about surrender and trust. We can have all our plans and strategies, but without God at the centre, they amount to nothing. A worksheet, a song of praise

– none of these can bring healing unless we make space for God to move. For the first time, contrary to my professional instincts, I saw the beauty in leaving room for ambiguity, for incomplete plans. God was

teaching us that when we loosen our grip and trust Him, He moves in ways beyond what we can imagine. In this

experience, I learnt that making room for God to take control is the most important “plan” we can ever make.