“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:14-16

In the 1960s, Jackie Pullinger, a young British woman, felt called by God to the Far East. With a degree in music, she wrote the Hong Kong government seeking a teaching post. They replied that they had no positions. So she tried a mission agency, but they said she was “too young.” Acting in faith, with no job, Jackie boarded a ship for Hong Kong.  

Upon arriving, she met Auntie Donnie, who showed her a primary school she ran in “The Walled City,” an area overrun by every imaginable crime. Also named “Hak Nam,” meaning darkness, Jackie learned it was “a place of terrible darkness, both physical and spiritual.” On that first visit, Auntie Donnie asked her to teach there. “Before I had fully realized what I was letting myself in for, I had agreed to teach percussion band, singing, and English conversation three afternoons a week.” Jackie also picked up another “regular job teaching in a primary school in the mornings.”

Through her work, Jackie started a youth club, especially because of the influence of one of her young male students. Teaching gave her natural contact with young people, out of which her ministry grew. Her work gained credibility and identification with the people. One student dialoged with her like this:

“Poon Siu Jeh (Jackie’s name “Pullinger” in Chinese), I haven’t got a job and I’ve run out of money.”
“But I’m afraid I haven’t got any money.”
“Oh, but you have–you’re terribly rich.”
“No, no, really I haven’t got any money.”
“Oh yes you have, because you’ve got a church in America like the rest of them.”
“No really I haven’t got a church in America. Actually I am from England, but no church sent me.”
A plane flew over head. “Huh, one day I expect you’ll get into one of those and fly back to where you came from.”
“No, there’s no danger of that because I haven’t got enough money to get on one,” I replied honestly.
“Well, your parents can send you the money anyway–there is plenty of money where you came from–we’ve seen how all those English people live up the peak.”
“No,” I said, “you’re wrong about that. My parents haven’t got any money either.”

Pullinger wrote, “This kind of conversation took place many times; it was an indictment of those evangelists who flew into Hong Kong, sang sweet songs about the love of Jesus on stage and on Hong Kong TV, then jumped back into their planes and flew away again.”

Slowly Jackie gained credibility because she lived and worked like the people did, and stayed long term. It took years. In fact, for years, as hard as she tried, nobody paid any attention because they had heard it before–from people who never stayed or lived like they did. But as Jackie continued to work among the people year after year, they began to trust the Jesus she told them about both on and off the job.

Jackie shined Christ’s light into the darkness by working for her living among the people. Through her persevering work, they saw “her good deeds and praised [her] Father in heaven.” God enlarged her ministry far beyond anything she had ever imagined. Without working, the light would never have shown so clearly. Will you use your profession to bring the Light to a dark part of the world?