Despite the fact that our new work in the Middle East consists of a great deal of texting, spreadsheets, and hours on buses, it’s actually been very exciting. We are responsible for contacting people that have requested Bibles online to see if they would like to talk about Christianity or read the Bible together. Our area has just grown again by two more provinces and we have hundreds of people to contact. Some people just brush us off, some people are pretty aggressive towards us, some seem to be part of mystical cults, some possible militants, and, best of all, some people are deeply excited by the message that they have found in the words of the Gospel! It’s a bit like panning for gold, sifting through sand and gravel to find treasure hidden in the mix. The great news is that, after a relatively short time, we’ve already met with a number of people who are taking serious steps to follow Christ. Some people are getting together occasionally to read the Bible. Two have requested baptism, and another had already been sharing the Good News with his neighbours before we ever met him! Without spending more time with them, it’s hard to really know where they are actually at regarding their relationship with Christ, but it’s exciting to get together with them to read and discuss who Christ is, the meaning of being born again, and the peace we can have knowing that God is our good shepherd. Another piece of great news is that, with one exception, everyone is excited by the idea of getting together with other like-minded people to read the Word together. While many people read in secret and are fearful of being caught by their family, they are excited by the idea of reading with others!
First Fruits
