Who doesn’t like a party especially when it comes with a free gift!?!
I have decided to look at bringing people to Christ like starting a party and allowing them to step into the free gift of eternal life.
Evangelism has been a ministry that I have never felt that I could do, but something I have always wanted to grow in. I never wanted to be the missionary that goes house to house to push God on anyone, but this adventure has taught me that it is worth it. He is worth it! Their life is worth it! I am not pushing a religion on anyone, but I am making relationships with these people and showing them that they are loved, whether they agree with me or not. I am showing that of all places I am standing in there village with them, doing life amongst them all, all because God has sent me here. He cares so much about them that he brought me here to love on them and to share with them.
I learned that these people are not always going to agree with you. I learned that just sitting with them and having a conversation with them is showing them the love of Jesus. I learned that even if they don’t take that step forward in giving their life to the Lord that my time spent with them was worth it, because I am not always going to see the fruit of my labour, but I may be seeing the fruit of someone else’s labour.
Every morning for a week, my team and I split into different groups and travelled the streets talking with the villagers. Some of them would be buddhist, some didn’t know what they believed, some believed in both buddha and Jesus and some have never heard of the Gospel at all. On this particular day Tammy and I got paired up and were invited to speak with this family. We began talking and getting to know each other when our pastor, who was also the translator interrupted and said ‘Gospel, share’, so we asked if they knew about Jesus. They said they did, but they go to the Pagoda (Buddhist Temple).
Tammy decided to share a piece of her story and why she believes in Jesus. She shared of his love and his forgiveness. Meanwhile the lady was very preoccupied and waits for Tammy to finish and says she needs to go fish. Well we will continue to pray for her we said. This happens often and we must not get discouraged, but we stayed at the house and continued to talk with the daughter, who was 12. She had been listening to us the entire time and we were able to just talk with her. Then the pastor says again, ‘Gospel, share.’ I looked at Tammy and laughed and continued on with my story and how she can receive a gift. The gift of eternal life and it won’t cost her anything, it is a free gift!
Our conversation carried on and we started to get to know her a bit, but then she popped up and said that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. We continued to ask her to makes sure she knew what it all meant and I was challenged to lead her in prayer. I was nervous and had no idea how to do this. She doesn’t speak English, so with the help of our Pastor we were able to get her to repeat my prayer. It was amazing to see how two different cultures can come together, pray in two different languages and meet Jesus at the same place.
We then invited her to church, took a picture, hugged and said that she started a party in heaven. God is so happy and is welcoming her with open arms! It is a memory I will always cherish, and she came to church that Sunday ran up to me, gave me a big hug and said Thank You!
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! –Luke 15:7
