We (Jon Bare and Guy Marquardt) boarded the plane from our Asia-Oceania Team base in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After two transfers, an overnight stay, and 36 hours of travel, we arrived.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you where we went. I can’t tell you whom we met with either. Don’t worry, we were in a safe place, but sharing this information would be dangerous for the people with whom we spent time.

I can’t tell you where they came from. I can’t share the road they took on their difficult trip—two days on the bus over bumpy roads, past guarded checkpoints, waiting for mudslides to be cleared. I can’t show you the pictures or videos of them that I took. I wish I could. You won’t be able to see their weary faces as they reflect on their war-torn country. You won’t see and hear their joy either, as they sang praises together. I can’t show you their smiling faces as we discussed the teachings of God’s Word.

I’d love to show you a video of one elder who asked, “What do you believe about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper?” When he heard the answer, he jumped out of his seat in joy and reached out his hand for a handshake. An excited thumbs-up said it all: Our teaching was exactly what they believed as well. As we parted ways, he shared, “We are very, very happy and grateful that you are confirming what we believe in the Sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.”

The WELS Asia-Oceania Team is bringing grace to all in Asia and Oceania. “All” is a big group. That’s something like 4.6 billion people—over 60 percent of the world’s population. Why would we include “all” when we can’t possibly carry that out?

We include “all” because it reminds us that God’s mission includes men and women like those I can’t tell you about today. God’s commission doesn’t recognize the line between safe and unsafe areas, between those where faith is persecuted and those where faith is openly accepted. It doesn’t separate war-torn places from those of peace.

And so we set out on yet another trip to another place I can’t tell you about.

I so wish that I could tell you about the members of a small Lutheran church body with whom we are carefully studying God’s Word as we work toward declaring church fellowship. They want to know us and our beliefs—and we theirs. They want to walk together with us one day—and we with them. They want to know about you too: about your faith, your family, and your church. And they long to pray for you in your struggles.

When it came time to leave, I wish you could have been there to see the handshakes and hugs. I wish you could have felt their embrace, their appreciation, and their love. I wish I could show you all of that. But this will have to remain one more trip that I can’t tell you about.

One day, though, the wars will cease. The threats will end. The trips will stop. Christ will return—just as he promised. Then, when we’re in heaven, come find me. Remind me about the trip I couldn’t tell you about. Together, we can go find them—they’ll be there, standing around the throne.

Then they can tell you all about this trip. They’ll tell you how the Lamb of God brought his salvation to the ends of the earth. And together, we’ll join our voices in praise!

Author: Jon Bare
Volume 113, Number 04
Issue: April 2026