A couple of weeks ago Lynden, Ari, and I with our translator Caleb were walking through the town trying to build relationships with the people here. We walked past a man sitting in front of his barbershop, we stopped and shook his hand and asked if we could talk with him. HIS NAME WAS ESSA. He seemed reluctant to speak with us at first and asked if we could meet later in a different location. There was a strange understanding between us all about what we would talk about later. We knew that he was a Muslim but we never mentioned that we were Christians and that’s what we wanted to talk about. It was clear to us that God had been working on his heart before we came here.
We were supposed to meet the next evening so we went back to his shop at 7:00p.m. to pick him up but his shop was closed, we asked the people around his shop if they knew where he was, they told us that he closed early for some reason today which was strange. I remembered feeling a bit discouraged but God was calling this man home and we were to help. So we went back the next night and he was there. We brought him back to the house and began to talk. The way the conversation was going it was clear to see that God was guiding us as we talked. Essa began to tell us that he was becoming tired of being a Muslim and that he wanted truth in his life. After going through a few versus, Essa committed his life to Christ. After he prayed the biggest smile overcame his face and he told us how free he felt now.
Since that day Essa has been coming over and asking us questions. These questions are not your typical easy questions but deep questions that show that he is in his word and how he is yearning to know the truth. Every time we answer his questions he smiles and says “okay, okay I understand”. After he closes his bible he carefully wraps it in a decorated cloth. The faith he has encourages me to know more of God.
His name WAS Essa, but 3 days ago he told us he wants to NOW BE CALLED SIMON because Simon was his given name but he changed his name to Essa 21 years ago when he became a Muslim.
This man showed me how relentless God can be when calling his children home; no one is untouchable from Christ’s love.
Prayer Requests:
Will you join us in praying that God continues to soften the hearts of the people here?
Will you also pray for rain? The need for rain is very desperate, if they don’t get rain here soon there will be a famine! They already have to bring in food from other places. Pray that God would open the floodgates of heaven and soak this dry soil.
