“I have called you to the nations.” I didn’t know but those were the words that God spoke to me when I was a teenager. I held on to those words from my heavenly Father tightly in my heart. Growing up in a children’s home is where I found Love, saw Love, and felt Love for the first time in my life. Andrew and Grace, together with the staff team were the missionaries that took me into AG Home, in 2002 and raised me and 60 other girls like their daughters and sisters. They gave me a home, an education, opportunities to play sports, and most importantly, Jesus. Out of that pain, brokenness, and dysfunctionality, God called me out to the nations and my life would never been the same again.
I was born in Singapore, but due to some complications, I was given a blue identity card. When I was 21 years old, I knew in my heart that I wanted to apply for a Singaporean citizenship. AG Home supported me in my application but in my heart, I was not sure if I would get my citizenship. After submitting my application, I felt really tired and so I took a taxi home. The taxi driver began to ask me questions such as where I was from, etc. and I shared with him that I had just been to ICA to apply for my citizenship. He prayed for me right there in the taxi and also told me to believe in my heart that I would be granted the citizenship and that God would come through for me. He encouraged me with this verse from Philippians 3:20 (NLT), “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ Lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our savior.” This verse comforted my heart and when I arrived home, I had peace in my heart and I just trusted God.
A few months later, I received a letter from ICA that my citizenship had been approved and I rejoiced! Everyone around me also rejoiced with me. I believed that this would be my passport to many nations to fulfil His calling over my life. He is my miracle working God and He continues to be as He has brought me into many nations to do short-term mission work since the day I received my Singaporean citizenship.
For 20 years, I went back and forth asking God, “Father, when will you call me to full-time missions? Am I ready yet?” He told me, “Not yet dear daughter.” In 2021, God told me to go to Tung Ling Bible School (TLBS). During my 3 months at TLBS, I lost my mother and God began do a deep and healing work in me. At the end of the process, He said, “My beloved daughter now you are ready for nations and I have prepared you for the long haul. “
Near the end of my time at TLBS during the mission module, there was an urgent call to go into Germany to help provide respite for the Ukraine refugees living there. I asked the Lord and He said, “Go” and gave me this verse, Matthew 28:18-20, “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” I claimed this verse, put on the full armor of God, and stepped into Germany with a team of 12 brothers and sisters. We did not go in with any agenda but only to be an extension of His love, His arms and legs, in order to be a blessing to God’s people.
This was also a verse that spoke to me:
“’For I was hungry, and you fed me.
I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.
I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
I was naked, and you gave me clothing.
I was sick, and you cared for me.
I was in prison, and you visited me.’”
(Matthew 25:35-36 NLT)
The Word of God continued to tell me that if I did any of these acts unto my brothers or sisters I did it unto the Lord. My prayer for my team and me was that we would not only do these acts when we were on mission trips but that we would do them daily for Jesus.
In Germany, we saw many lives healed. Many experienced the love of God, and developed personal relationships with Jesus. When I left, I heard from many missionaries and Ukraine refugees who testified about God in their life. I understood that they knew God for themselves and that they would depend on Him as well as be a living testimony for others. That is the best gift that we can give to our brothers and sisters: JESUS, their living water, their hope and confidence.
While in Poland, at Iris Global Family camp, God reminded me that He had called me for the nations and gave me a prophecy through a person at the camp that He is calling me into not 1, but 6 nations. I thanked God for choosing me over and over again and prayed that in His time, He would continue to reveal to me the 6 nations where He wanted to take me.
Recently I was part of another trip to Living Waters Village in Kalimantan, Borneo. I thank God for using me to share my testimony with God’s people there. This is one ministry that God has placed in my heart, and I will be returning to Kalimantan to serve there again in the near future.
Through AG Home and TLBS, God opened doors for me that I could have never even imagined. They have both been huge blessings in my life and I thank God for orchestrating them to be an integral part of my life. God has spent the last 20 years preparing me for nations. No past experiences have been wasted and God is using everything that He has instilled in me today.
Love and blessings,
Devi Chandra
Yishun Christian Church