Journey with the Suns

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Review in 2022: God's Global Mission

"The LORD has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation! He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God." - Psalm 98:2-3

Our beloved family and friends,

Warm and heartfelt greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.

The year of 2022 has been an abundant and astonishing year to our family. Not only did we move from Dallas to Grand Rapids, but the Lord has opened many doors for us to involve His global mission and to witness the work of God worldwide. By God's guidance and providence, our family was able to travel to various cities in America (Florida, Houston, Seattle, Tennessee, Dallas) and around the world in 5 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey) to teach in multiple ministries, to train pastors and to connect with national leaders and international students from 15 nations (Egypt, India, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Netherland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, UK and Ukraine).

In addition to the work of God through our family, Ric's ministry with Life International has blessed him to humbly serve and shepherd pastors and national leaders from total of 56 countries (see the list below) and counting since he came on board in June.

The nations of the pastors and national leaders under Ric's networking and shepherding:

Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
East Asia: China, Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, and Taiwan
Europe: Albania, Croatia, France, Hungary, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, and UK
Latin America and Caribbean: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, and Haiti
Middle East and North Africa: Chad, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, and Turkey
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Island, and Vanuatu
South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, and Philippines
Sub-Sahara Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia

More than anything else, we have been in awe of God's fruitful works through His faithful workers who we have witnessed their love for the Lord so deep and their care for the lost so wide that they are burned by the Gospel to bring the message of hope to everyone they meet and everywhere they go despite the lack of resources, labors and financial supports.

We are astonished by Psalmist's word, "the Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation. He remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God." Indeed, we have tasted His promise to the nations, we have seen God's victory through His workers and we believe God will finish His work He has started in and through the nations.

Recounting the favor and blessing in the partnership of God's global mission in year 2022:

January in Florida

We would never imagine in thousand years that we could set foot on Disney World. But in January, Jocelyn's sister and brother-in-law have been so gracious and generous to bless our family to experience Disney World for the very first time. We are beyond thankful for God to answer our prayer to have many meaningful and spiritual conversations with them throughout the trip.

February in Houston

Our family is beyond blessed to be invited back to speak at the youth camp of Cypress Bible Church in Houston. The theme is Not Today Satan that Ric focused his talk on The Five "I wills" of Satan in Isaiah 14 to unpack the desire of the flesh by discerning the voice of God from the lies of the enemy and restoring our position in the Lord from the false position in the world. It is also a special one as the Suns kids began their first time serving alongside daddy and mommy to sing and declare the truth of our Father. We praise God for their yearning heart and the training they have received from Kids Worship Arts at First Baptist Dallas.

March in Tennessee and Seattle

In March, our family traveled to Knoxville Tennessee to attend Deeper Still fundraising banquet and shared our testimony with close to 300 donors and board members. We also got to record a video of our story with the ministry. We pray that our story of redemption would be an encouragement to many who are in need of healing and restoration.

March is packed and full. A week after the banquet in Knoxville Tennessee, our family flew to Seattle to speak at Evangelical Chinese Church. God did His mighty work again to enable several students to accept Jesus and many rededicated their life to the Lord! Hallelujah!!! We were so humble to be part of this anointing community where the spirit of God is dwelling and residing despite what was going on at the church. When you remember the students, would you say a prayer for them that they will continue pursuing deep abiding life with God to live out their faith in such a dark and hostile city.

April in Europe

In April, our family went on to this trip of a lifetime in Germany at Black Forest Academy where we served at the spring retreat and spoke to 200+ students and 40+ counselors. This school is such an anointing place in the heart of Western Europe to host hundred of missionary kids whose family are serving in 40+ countries around the world. With our deep gratitude and great honor, we are humbly standing on the shoulders of so many incredible leaders, pastors and teachers who have been faithfully dedicating their lives to pour out their love to the students who are far away from home. Because of your partnership in the Gospel, we got to witness the mighty work of God on the other side of the earth.

After we waved goodbye to Black Forest Academy, we embarked on a heart-captivating journey to venture through part of the beautiful Western Europe in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France.

I (Ric) remember in my early days of fatherhood and asked a dear friend whose family is thriving in mission, how to help kids to grow their heart for God’s mission? He told me, let the kids taste and see (soar and explore) the world God created! And I took it to heart and included our kids to serve our Lord with every possible opportunity! Today, it is still a significant reminder to our family as we continue to build up their cultural value and biblical worldview together in God’s big and beautiful world.

This trip was truly beyond life-giving to not only deepen our affection for the beauty of this world, but also exalt our appreciation to God's incredible display of His creativity and diversity. We are humble to explore the world He created, experience the culture He invented, and interact with the diversity of people He loves. We drove through the coast of Mediterranean Sea, taste the authentic Italian pasta and French pastries, immerse ourselves with the Italian boba tea, roam around the city of Milan, inspired by the strong and preserving faith of our new Ukrainians friends, engage the mission He is actively at work and ultimately declare His handiwork and glorify His name. Hallelujah!!!

May in Dallas

Graduation. dedication. Liberation. Celebration. Congratulations.

In the past 3 years, I (Ric) could not be more thrilled and thankful to witness the incredible work of God to intervene in and through this God-fearing and scripture-loving woman to push, pause and persevere till the end to knock down this long and hard-fought season where she got to accomplish her “cross-country thesis”.

She was working on her final paper while trekking through Germany, Switzerland, Italy and eventually submitted in France at 5:30am. Phew... This could-not-be-prouder-husband is marveled at God’s diligence and resilience manifested in her. Free at last. Victory is won. Master is earned. Mommy is done. YAY! Thank you Jesus. Thank y'all for your prayer and support.

Reflection of Ric for ordination:

May 22, 2022 is marked as an Ebenezer of God’s grace for eternality to remember. It is a miracle. If you only knew… What is man that you are mindful of him? From an enemy of God to a child of God, a punk who loves the world to a preacher who loves the Word and a seeker of faith to a minister of the Gospel.

My life is not and will never be my own, but His, a doulos stirred and anointed by the love of Christ for a lifetime service consecrated and committed to bringing Him all the honor, praise and glory. Thank you family for loving me, believing in me, investing in me, praying for me and celebrating with me. What a glorious gift. God to be praised.

June in Transition

(Our last picture with our empty apartment at DTS where we stayed for 6 years)

6 years.
3 degrees.
3 black belts.
2 graduations.
1 ordination.
1 son.
1 anointing big army of God.

Countless failures.
Numerous redemptions.
The end of an era.
The beginning of the Lord’s new assignment.
Home is not where you came from.
Home is not where you are going to.
Home is where Christ is.
Praise Him.

God has used this season of preparation at Dallas Theological Seminary to teach us, stretch us and humble us in so many ways. Studying and learning under the professors at DTS has equipped us for decades of ministry to come. As we continue the journey of faith, we will deeply miss friends here and yet we are reminded that this is not a landing place, but a launching pad where God uses and sends us out to share the love of Jesus to the world and beyond.

July in Michigan

According to the research, 84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7. 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. And in 2021, 38% Pastors Have Considered Quitting Full-Time Ministry.

This is the reality of pastoral ministry that has kept me (Ric) up at night and has pressed upon my heart to care for the soul of the pastors and leaders and to walk alongside them in their calling as shepherd especially in the post-pandemic time. Pastors are lonely and serving out of the emptiness. They are in desperate need of trustworthy friends who understand them and care for them. So when Life International called and reached out to me, I was convinced that the job is the affirmation from the Lord to fulfill the desire of my heart to serve and shepherd my fellow pastors.

I am humbly serving as Pastor of Partner Care to support 10 hub development of 199 delegates of each nation through shepherding the soul of the pastors and national leaders, to strengthen the church worldwide through doing the leadership training for sanctity of life, to serve the pastors and leaders with spiritual resources, encouragement and prayer. Pray for me as I serve as a prayer warrior and encourager to them.

August in Dallas and India

In August, God has indeed brought us through a wild adventure in Dallas as I (Jocelyn) took the kids by myself for the first time and had 20+ meetings with ministry partners and professors (mainly @DTS) to share our updates and invite them to partner with LIFE!

I am grateful beyond words for so many of you who prayed and supported us that I really felt the Holy Spirit strongly leading the way. Here are some of the praise reports to share with you:

Each day we met people from 10am to 10pm with DTS leadership team/ students around the globe.
God is opening up doors and inviting us to be on potential podcast, cultural engagement chapel, class lectures, and internship partnership.
Super thankful also driving a professor’s big long tank car and feeling confident/safe on the roads (when I was very anxious knowing his car was an antique. He said, if you know how to drink boba, you know how to drive this. lol). Kids also managed through Texas heat sitting in the backseat without AC.
God also gave us a number of opportunities to reach out former college students, DTS families, waitress in the restaurants, flight attendants, passengers and owner of the restaurants.
PTL for the detouring flight from Dallas to Houston where we got to catch up with our good friends and had a wonderful time having dinner with grandma and aunty.
PTL that many leaders hearts are opened and ready to partner together.

Love y’all so much! Thank you again so much for journeying with us and marching to advance the gospel on your knees with us.

2 months after I (Ric) joined Life International, I was sent to my first trip to India. Over there, we had the honor and privilege to train 22 local leaders, pastors and youth leaders, learned the rich and incredible Christian heritage in the northeast part of India and tasted the authentic local food with hands.

Their persevering faith is the one that sets me on fire burned to the core. The Lord has brought missionaries and their obedience to transform the region despite the financial shortage, hardship and persecution. To be able to witness the work of God through these brothers and sisters is simply blessed and inspired beyond measured! Praise the Lord!

September in Georgia

In September, I (Ric) went on a trip to Batumi, Georgia (Central Asia) for a week where I was blown away by God’s redemptive work in this part of the world. I got to witness revelation 7:9 coming alive in this training. A much needed unifying spirit is filled among the leaders from various countries that we got to pray together with one voice to cry out for peace and unity of the nations. I am beyond humbling to taste and see a beautiful and glorious glance of heaven. It reminded me of the power of the Gospel that despite the tension of the nations, we are one body of Christ by the blood of Jesus that makes us closer than our own family.

What a blessing and life giving moment to be part of God’s mission for such time as this! It has stirred the burning passion in me, drawn me to my knees and made me long to come home and tell everything to everyone that I have heard and seen! God is so good!

October in India

“I need this trip more than the trip needs me.”

In October, I (Ric) went back to the same part of India for a post-aborted training. Though it is a long and winding trip, it is humbling and spirit-soaking journey. Your prayer means a world to us that it served our souls so well that helped advance the kingdom. We have witnessed the mighty work of God moving the lives of people in such a groundbreaking way. It is so encouraging to know that God is constantly at work even in such a difficult region of the world. The brothers and sisters here are serving out of bursting joy and burning heart. Due to the training, the pastors and leaders’ perception over the value of life especially the unborn have greatly changed and their worldview have been deeply rocked that they vowed to defend and protect lives at all ages and all stages. Hallelujah!!! To God be the glory.

November in Turkey

What a blessing of our family to be part of the world’s meeting place of the kingdom collaboration where gathered total of 462 people from 80 countries and 286 schools, churches and organizations in Izmir, Turkey. All came with one mutuality of singular and uncompromising goal - to strengthen Christ’s church across the globe.

Over the conference, we also took the chance to connect with numerous leaders, pastors, professors and presidents of Bible colleges, organizations, and seminaries from all around the world - Tanzania, Uganda, New Zealand, UK, Pakistan, Netherland, Egypt, Israel, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Philippines, South Africa, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and USA.

Almost all the groups we met have such an eye-opening and jaw-dropping expression about the ministry LIFE International is committed to. We shared with them that the devaluation of life is happening everywhere that the training is so much needed for our future leaders and pastors to speak into the cultural moment like this that abortion is not a political issue but a biblical issue. Our mission is not to make abortion illegal but to make abortion unthinkable because it is not about changing the law, but changing the hearts.

The responses are overwhelming that they were marveled at the work we do and shared that we might be the first organization they encountered engaging in such a critical and vital ministry. They expressed the huge need of the resources we provided because their country and church often don’t talk about the issue of devaluation of life, not alone to know how. We are convinced that the work of God has just begun and please join us together to pray and press on.

After the conference in November, our family got to visit The ruin of ancient Ephesus in Selcuk, Türkiye, a vital city in the spread of Christianity launching in the first century A.D. It is the city where Apostle Paul and John spent years living, visited and rebuked the cults of Artemis (Acts 19:35) to win many Christian converts in the process. Also the city where Mary, the mother of Jesus, is thought to have spent her last years with Apostle John. Her house and John's tomb can be visited here today.

We are taking step by step to walk on the history to immerse ourselves in the once market places, churches, Artemis temple, and amphitheater (Acts 19:23) where we closed our eyes imagining hearing the echo of apostle Paul’s preaching in this very same city around 2000 years ago.

And 2000 years later, though the church buildings in Ephesus are left with piles of rocks and the apostles had gone into the glory, the Gospel is still the solid Rock filled with the power of the Holy Spirit changing the lives and rocking the world. What a glorious gift to us. All the honor, praise and glory be to God!

December in Grand Rapids

During Christmas season, I (Jocelyn) invited about 20 international exchange students from all around the world (Germany, Chili, Taiwan, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Switzerland, Honduras) along with a few of our dear friends to help host, love and care for them. Many of them are leaving this year, have never celebrated Christmas and never heard about the Gospel before.

We got to spend time with them playing white elephant, our kids singing the Christmas Carol and Jocelyn sharing a Christmas story about Jesus. Our time together brought lots of smile to the students and made their day as you can tell. We had many heart-wrenching and life-giving conversations with them from family life to after life throughout the entire night that the Good News is shared, the biblical worldview is addressed, the Gospel music is delivered, the love is felt and most important of all, Jesus is being considered and heard by all.

In the end, they didn’t wanna leave and they began to share that they really felt like home away from home and reminded them of their childhood. One even said that it’s better than clubbing. To God be the glory and please continue to pray for their salvation and continue to share with urgency!

On December 19th, we were honored to be invited by Dr. Darrell Bock from the Table Podcast, a weekly podcast on topics related to God, Christianity, and cultural engagement hosted by the Hendricks Center at Dallas Theological Seminary.

We got to share our redemptive story, the mission field created by abortion, the resources provided from womb to tomb, the tragic reality of devaluation of life around the world, the healing and recovery for seminarians, the ministry of Life International, the challenge between the church and culture and how to strengthen the churches worldwide.

The podcast is scheduled to be released in January 2023. Please join us to pray that not only will it be an encouragement and blessing to the body of Christ, but also bring the honor, praise and glory to our Father.

“Behold, you will call a nation you do not know, And a nation which does not know you will run to you, Because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” - Isaiah 55:5

Pray with us

Praise God for an abundant and fruitful year where He has answered many prayers and directed a clear path for us in the ongoing pursuit of God's calling in our life.
Praise the Lord for many of you who have supported us financially that we have raised half of the fund to go to New Zealand in January 2023. Pray for God to meet the needs of our trip.
Pray for our kids in 2023, they will continue to grow spiritually to learn the word of God, to build characters in the likeness of Christ and to point their peers to our savior.
Pray for Jocelyn to find a like-minded group of sisters who share the same burning heart in the ministry of evangelism, recovery and hospitality to reach out the least, the broken and the wounded people.
Ric feels called to begin the process of pursuing a PhD study combining practical and pastoral theology in shepherding the pastors and christian leaders of next generation in the cross-cultural ministry context. Please pray for the details to be materialized and for the Lord's guidance.

It is with our deep and warm gratitude that the Suns family is beyond thankful for your unceasing prayer and generous support to enable our calling and burning passion to carry the hope of Jesus Christ to the nations, to proclaim the truth of the Gospel to next generation, to share the love of God with the lost for transformation in the urgency of fulfilling our Father's heart for Great Commission.

If you felt led by the Spirit to partner with us through financial support, you may find the giving options below. We are looking forward to hearing from you and thank you so much for journeying with us together in the great pursuit of God's calling and mission.

Until all are heard and healed,
Ric, Jocelyn, Kyra, Liora, Zion

Giving options:

No Tax-deductible through Zelle: 832-433-4567 (Ric's cell) or eshbutx@gmail.com (Ric's email)
No Tax-deductible through bank transfer: 488059487225
Tax-deductible giving through ICC-E: International Christian Community-Eurasia (Please designate Ric and Jocelyn Sun)

Copyright 2022 © Journey with the Suns

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Ric: eshbutx@gmail.com
Jocelyn: jc.and.rs@gmail.com

Our mailing address is:
136 Westown Dr. NW Apt. 202,
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49534

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Journey with the Suns · 136 Westown Dr. NW apt. 202 · Grand Rapids, MI 49534 · USA