Hey everyone!
So my first month on the World Race has officially ended! I’m currently at debrief in Ghana for the next few days, where all the teams on our squad come together with our coaches, mentors, team, and squad leaders, and go over how the first month was. It’s also a time of rest before we move on to our next ministry.
I really enjoyed my time in Côte D’Ivoire. Our hosts took care of us so well, and despite the language barrier we had a great time with them. I finally got the hang of taking taxis on our own, which involved negotiating and asking if they had change prior to entering the taxi (all in French). Working in children’s ministry was fun as well.
So twice this month we had the opportunity to join with team Rapha that was also in Abidjan. The ministry that they were working with the entire month was evangelizing to truckers.
So like I had mentioned in my previous blog, we had been given a demonstration on an effective way to share the gospel with Muslims specifically (which I learned was based on a book called Any 3). The first Friday we went out, I just observed as one of my squad mates shared the gospel with a group of men. The second and last time we went, I was totally ok with just letting one of the others do it this time as well. I was like, I don’t feel like I am prepared enough to be able to do it.
We went to the areas where the truckers wait for loads to take back to their country. They could wait anywhere from days to months, so a lot of them will set up hammocks under their trucks or put cots or mats in the space between the trucks. We found a group between trucks sitting on a prayer mat. One of the Ivorian leaders who does this ministry full time sat down next to three guys and started talking to them in French, asking their names, where they were from, things like that.
Then he was like, these people came here from America to tell you something. He indicated to Paige, Allyson, and I and was like, “Any 3”. Ok, that was quick. It was time for us to just dive in. Paige and Allyson had shared before, and so they asked me if I wanted to do it. I was like. “Uh…” Internally I’m like, I thought for sure one of them would do it, I am NOT prepared for this! One of them said, “You don’t have to do it if you aren’t comfortable.” Then I was like, wait, I’m not here to be comfortable! So I said, “Yes, I’ll do it.” So I began to speak, and the leader with us would then translate what I was saying into French.
I began at the beginning. Here’s what I said:
God created the world and everything in it. Adam and Eve were in the garden and God told them they could eat of any fruit except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But they disobeyed and then realized they were naked and they were ashamed and hid from God. But he found them and knew what they did, and to cover their sin, he sacrificed an animal and made them clothing from it. This was the first sacrifice. But it wasn’t permanent, and they and their descendants would keep having to sacrifice animals so that the blood of the animal would temporarily cover their sin.
But God had a plan, where he sent his son Jesus to earth, and he was born and lived a sinless life. Then he was killed on the cross, taking all of our sins on himself, and then he rose again. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, the last sacrifice.
And so, all we have to do is believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord.
So that’s how I ended. Our leader reiterated the whole thing, and one of the guys asked how this was different from religion, and the leader’s wife explained how religion is like sacrifices in that it only covers sin, whereas Jesus completely takes sin away. You can go to church and do good things but they don’t save you, Jesus does.
Then the leader asked if they wanted to make a decision. All 3 said yes! And so he led them in a prayer and by simply believing the good news of the gospel they became followers of Christ.
The leader gave them SD cards that had the Bible in French and two languages from the surrounding countries. He invited them to come out to church on Sunday, gave them his contact info and got their info so that he could follow up with them (usually on Tuesday they would go back to the ports and follow up with those that decided to follow Christ). Then it was time to go.
Back at the church all of the teams gave their report. 29 people heard the gospel, and 13 of those decided to become followers of Christ! One of the leaders said, right now there is much rejoicing going on in heaven over these souls that have now been saved. I teared up a little because that’s so wonderful!
I have not shared the gospel very many times, and most of those few times was with kids in Sunday school where they had no choice but to listen to what I was saying, which technically counts but wasn’t anything out of my comfort zone at all. This is my fault for not taking the opportunities that I have been given. So I was so grateful to have had this opportunity to share what I believe and what I literally left my country and my way of living life for.
The thing is, I was not needed to share the gospel to those three men. The leader with us translated everything I said, but he literally could have said everything that I did without me saying it in English first because he knows it and has told people way more times than I have. But even though they would have still come to Christ if I hadn’t come from America to tell them, God chose to include me in helping them make this monumental decision. He then left it up to me to either do it or not. I could have said no, and God still would have used someone else to give his message to them. But since I said yes, I was able to be a part of something life changing. So God doesn’t need me, but he wants me anyway and that’s the beautiful part.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to my trip so that I can even be in these countries sharing Jesus’s love to people. You said yes to being a part of God’s work as well!
I’m currently $2,609 away from meeting my next deadline of 13,000 by February 28. I’d like to ask for you to consider giving toward helping me reach my next goal so I can continue on for these next 10 months! If you can do so, just hit the donate button at the top of the page.
In a couple of days, we will leave debrief and head out to our ministry locations for the next month. I’m excited to see what this next month is going to look like. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already to get updates whenever I post a new blog.
Jessica
