Seven Questions with Judah Mooney

Many of us know Judah Mooney as the quick-processing translator who has managed to keep pace with some of the rapid speaking men who've preached at Faith Community Church: our own Pastor Tim; Pastor Tony of Jubilee Christian Fellowship (the Samoan Church); and Chris Mooney, a missionary in Guatemala and Judah's dad. Other's know Judah as a Bible Study leader, a youth sponsor, and even a preacher in his own right. But there's another calling on Judah's life, an extremely important one. And it's this calling that is the subject of this edition of Seven Questions.

Judah is preparing to move to Paraguay in South America where he will work with the Cities of the World ministry of Campus Crusade, Canada. He will be based in Asuncion, the nation's capital, with the goal of reaching this city with the Gospel of Christ.


Question One: What was it like to grow up on the mission field in Guatemala?

I believe that I was blessed to have had such a great opportunity to be raised ten years in Mexico and nine in Guatemala. In fact, I can’t imagine myself growing up anywhere else. Spanish was the first language I learned at the orphanage my parents ran, and I grew up essentially being Latin in the way I talked and acted.

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I have yet to learn the extent of what “the price to pay” means, but every day I wake up and pray that I will be willing to pay the price for one person to come to Christ.

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My dad always encouraged us kids to be part of the ministry. In fact, he always believed that the youth programs that I ran were just as important to our ministry as what he did. When I was 12, my dad put my first message into my hands and explained how I was going to teach a small group at our church that week! It was through these experiences that I believe God equipped me with the tools necessary to be a missionary. More importantly, it was in Guatemala that I learned how God could use me to win people to Jesus. Whether I was sharing Christ while giving out wheel-chairs, doing school evangelism, giving out food to the poor, translating for mission teams, or running the camps for the disabled, I learned that God could use me to make a difference in people lives.


Question Two: When did you sense the Spirit calling you personally to missions?

One day when I was 15 years old, I was riding a chicken bus back from Guatemala City where we had finished with some school evangelism. I was praying about what career God wanted me to follow in life, and I remember asking God, “If you want me to go into full time ministry, will you let me make a big difference around the world for you.” At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke right back to me in a crisp, clear way that I have never forgotten. He said, “Judah, I will let you make a difference in this world, if you are willing to pay that price.”

From that moment on, I knew that somehow, somewhere, I would be sharing Christ with people around the world. And I have tried to take every opportunity since to go reach the world for Christ. Sometimes that meant going on missions trips, helping Pastor David in the Hispanic Church or working with youth ministry. I have yet to learn the extent of what “the price to pay” means, but every day I wake up and pray that I will be willing to pay the price for one person to come to Christ.


Question Three: How did you get tied in with Cities of the World and Campus Crusade, Canada (CCC)?

It was after I got back from spending a few months in Peru where I was teaching Christian values in the public schools that I met Norm Schulz who directs one of CCC's newest ministries, “Cities of the World.” Norm was interested in what I had done in Peru and other project I had done for my dad in Guatemala. But more importantly, he came to realize the calling I have to win people to Christ. It was only a week later that I was asked to become part of the Cities of the World team to work on one of the most exiting projects that I have ever seen: Winning Asuncion, Paraguay, to Christ.


Question Four: What has God done to confirm your calling to work with that ministry?

The truth is that when I was asked to start working full time in the ministry with Cities of the World, I was hesitant. I was confident that the three-year strategy in Paraguay has the potential to making an enormous impact on thousands of people. But I had other plans and was working on my finishing my degree in business. Nevertheless, I told CCC that I would pray about joining the Latin America team. I went home that night and lay on the floor and began pleading to God to show me His will. It wasn’t long before the Holy Spirit once again reminded me of the price I needed to pay to make a difference in the world for Him, and I realized that God had prepared me and called me to this ministry. After praying for a week I personally felt at complete peace. But I asked God to confirm that this was his will for me. I threw out a “fleece” to God.

I had not told my dad anything about the offer to work with CCC. Honestly, I didn’t know how he was going to react when I told him that I was considering working in another ministry. However, when I got in touch with him in Guatemala, the first thing he said--before I said anything--was, “Judah, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, 'Campus Crusade, Canada!' God has prepared you your whole life for this. It is what you were created for.” Without any forewarning God used Dad to give me the extra confirmation I needed to take this step of faith.


Question Five: Give us some background on Paraguay. What are the specific challenges and opportunities you’ll face there?

The initial connection was developed when the First Lady of Paraguay attended a Campus Crusade conference in Whistler, British Columbia. There she was exposed to the vision of “Helping you reach your World” and the Cities of the World strategy. After visiting, the First Lady invited Cities of the World to make Asuncion, Paraguay, one of its first target cities where we will help the national leaders accomplish their vision of transforming their city for Christ.

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This is not a one-man job. It will need a devoted team of people who also desire to make a difference in the world.

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Local leaders have identified the primary need in Paraguay is to strengthen the family. Due to poverty, infidelity and different kinds of abuse, the family unit in Paraguay is continually being weakened. In order to help build the family, and thereby strengthen the country, we will be using many of the Campus Crusade tools involving family, sports, internet and humanitarian aid ministries to reach out to a million people with the love of God. It’s definitely the largest vision I’ve worked in, and it’s going to take a massive amount of people working together, but I am depending on a bigger God who desires the same thing that I desire. To win people to Jesus.


Question Six: What will your responsibilities and duties be in Paraguay?

It’s hard to describe this in a few words, but basically because the team of leaders that will be working in Latin America are all nationals, CCC has a need for a representative in the field who can bridge the fieldwork with CCC headquarters in Langley, B.C. In Paraguay, I will be working alongside Alexis Aquino, the operations leader and a team of local leaders. We will be coordinating pastors and volunteers to head up the various ministries. For example, we will be using 600,000 food packages as a tool that the local Church can use to share Christ with the poor. Besides the actual weeks where we get to give out the food, much administrative work will be needed to coordinate such an effort with the local volunteers and churches. I will be also be communicating to headquarters the extent of impact we are having in the country, and helping develop this new strategy according to the city's needs and culture. Basically, I am CCC's Field Coordinator in Latin America.


Question Seven: When will you leave for Paraguay? What will you be doing until then?

My first “assignment” before I can start working in the field is to develop a support team that can help cover me in my financial and prayer support. This is not a one-man job. It will need a devoted team of people who also desire to make a difference in the world. I consider myself one of a team of people who are giving of themselves in obedience to the Great Commission. My goal is to reach my $2500 monthly budget by January so that I can start working directly in the ministry. Because the Paraguay strategy is already in process it is necessary to get on the mission field as soon as possible. Thanks to Faith Community Church and its member, I have continually met with people who have joined me in this vision. I believe that God has already called specific people to join me in this mission, and I am just trying to get the word out now.

For the next few months and before I head down to South America, I will be involved in some smaller projects out of Langley. I will be coordinating a short-term mission team to Nicaragua and working closely with the Cities of the World strategy team in Canada. This will give me the opportunity to learn how Campus Crusade operates, what ministries we work with and what tools we have to offer to cities once I am based in South America.

For more information, go to Judah's website.