MACAU, China — Like the bamboo scaffolding around a new building is how Larry and Sarah Ballew describe their ministry in Macau, China.
It's an appropriate metaphor for Macau, an old city being transformed by new hotels and casinos. With more than 500,000 people living in an area of less than 12 square miles, the southern Chinese city has one of the highest population densities in the world, but less than 1 percent of them are estimated to be Christians.
The Ballews are natives of Blacksburg, where they attended Blacksburg Baptist Church. Sarah's father, Roland Byrd, is a former Baptist campus minister at Virginia Tech. The Ballews live and minister in Macau as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions affiliates.
JAY PAUL
Larry and Sarah Ballew live in the busy city of Macau, along with their sons Joshua and Nathanael.
“The bamboo scaffolding is not all that beautiful in itself,” Larry said. “It is used by the workers, allowing them to climb higher and higher in the building process as well as protecting them from falling. It has a definite purpose and place, but in time it has to be removed so that the lasting beauty of the building can be revealed. Our work is support and is not to be permanent in nature. The support we provide with local workers should result in more permanent structures and works.”
Over the past few years, the Ballews have established an outreach ministry to restaurant workers. Often restaurant employees work 12-hour days with only a day or two off per month. Many have left their families to come to Macau in search of decent wages, but making approximately $500 a month they are forced to live in small apartments with seven to 10 co-workers.
“As we have developed our work with the restaurant workers, we have tried as much as possible to use the restaurant as the place of meeting,” Larry said. “We hold a number of English classes in the restaurant where the students work. But we also rent a very small office space that can be used for small groups of students and tutoring. Helping people learn to speak English is being the presence of Christ, as we help people improve their life state and job opportunities.”
The Ballews also teach English classes at local schools. They see a need for more English teachers and work to connect Christians in the U.S. with ministry opportunities in Macau.
“There are many, many needs and opportunities but not enough Christian workers,” Sarah said. “We constantly come face-to-face with our own limits, primarily our time limits. We really need help for all the opportunities that are present in the city.”
As affiliates, the Ballews have access to benefits provided by CBF Global Missions, including physical, emotional and spiritual support, training opportunities and inclusion on a peer team. They have lived in Macau since 1996 and were commissioned by the Fellowship in 2005.
“We have had many Chinese people ask why we came to Macau,” Sarah said. “It has given us the opportunity to share that we felt the Lord led us here. In fact, before we arrived in Macau for the first time, I really felt like we were coming home. The Lord had prepared our hearts so much for this place and to live among the Chinese people here. We are so thankful to have the opportunity to be the presence of Christ in word and deed among our Chinese friends.”
CBF Global Missions affiliates connect churches in the U.S. with ministry projects, partners and opportunities around the world. Affiliates, along with Fellowship field personnel and staff, help facilitate the engagement of congregations in missions.
“The affiliate model is good for us because it provides us with accountable relationships in Asia, as well as a legitimate connection for our relationship with supporters in the United States,” Larry said. “Being connected to CBF this way helps us to assure people who we are and what we are doing is legitimate.”