The Plum Tree in the Desert contains ten stories of experiences from the mission field. The stories come from missionaries who work with Interserve, a Christian organisation which sends, equips and trains partners to share the gospel and strengthen the local church among the most marginalised peoples of Asia and the Arab world.
Each chapter tells real life stories of ordinary people who put their trust in an extraordinary God and live in obedience to Him. They faithfully use their God-given skills and talents to share the good news about Jesus Christ; whether it be sharing biblical truths to Muslim communities through creative storytelling, using their business as a means for mission in North Africa, or sharing the gospel through writing songs in the local language. There are also stories of missionaries reaching the homeless in Krygyzstan, sharing the gospel through dentistry, a young woman bringing political leaders in Afghanistan to tears with the story of Jesus, a doctor abandoning her wealth to work in remote villages in India, seemingly fruitless ministries booming due to Christians around the world coming together to pray for the city, and missionaries who, in their return to the West, build up the church to reach out to our Muslim neighbours in the West.
While faithfully serving and carrying out God’s work, the missionaries have had to live through bombings, landmines, wars, near rapes, being held at gunpoint, seeing death in the raw, deportation, and witnessing the murder of their colleagues. Despite these circumstances, each story centres around the God who is at work. The God who works through human weakness, through challenging times, through discouragement. The God who stirs the hearts of the least expected, the least accepted, and the least respected. The God who uses all things – whether it’s drinking tea, selling plant pots or musical abilities – to bring people to Himself. The God who makes the plum tree grow even in the desert.
“There’s so much I don’t understand about the world… about human choices, suffering and evil. Back in Afghanistan, one of our colleagues was murdered. I remember the day – I had been to his house. We called and there was no answer… I can’t understand it. I can’t even understand my own brokenness. How often have I grieved the Lord? But then I remember that if we’re not cracked, the Lord can’t shine through. And one day I will understand. One day I will see. In the meantime, the Lord says, keep going, keep crying out to him. He cares. He’s with us. He speaks to us, let your light shine. Don’t hide it under a bushel.” – Spring, Chapter 7.
“We don’t want to do foolish things… but there’s no guarantee of safety wherever we live. And I can’t find the verse that says, ‘Go into the world – except where it isn’t safe.’ In fact, Jesus said we should not be afraid of those who can kill our bodies. We should fear him who has the authority to send both our bodies and souls to hell… [In the West], security is such a high priority. We seem to be so fearful of the things that can destroy our bodies, but we’re not fearful of the things that can destroy our souls, of which there are so many. Why are we not terrified here of the things that are destroying our souls? Who’s really in the most danger?” – Sue, Chapter 9.
This book was an incredibly eye-opening and encouraging read for me. Living in my bubble here in Australia, it was helpful to gain insight into what life is like in completely different cultural contexts. It is clear that the Interserve partners are just ordinary human beings like me. They did not possess extraordinary skills and abilities which made them unique for the work they did. They were everyday people whom God grew, shaped and used. This book pointed me to a sovereign and all-powerful God who is able to use any job, skill, gift or talent to advance His Kingdom because He created all such things for His glory.
I would highly recommend this book to any Christian – it is an encouraging read that enables believers to see the work of God in and around the world. This book will also challenge us to question what we truly value in our lives, and pose a question of how we can live on mission where we are placed right now. This would also be a great resource for anyone who is considering overseas mission as it would allow you to gain raw insight into what life is like on the mission field, filled with a mixture of joys and pains, excitements and discouragements.
By Eunice Kiem
4 October 2020