“You’re bringing shame and dishonor to us – you’ve betrayed us. You must denounce this Jesus and we will leave you alone.”
“We believe Jesus is our Lord. We will not turn away from Him.”
Despite having rocks thrown at them, their houses and property vandalized and their livestock killed or run off – the faith of these new Believers has held strong. They are in the minority in their village. Only two families out of the whole village have turned to trust in Almighty God. Through the persistent loving witness of Pastor H, who travels when he can from the larger nearby city to their village these families began to see their need for a Savior and found that need met through Jesus Christ.
Last week when Pastor H visited their village, word spread quickly among the other villagers that he was there. Confronting him they told him they would no longer tolerate his disruption of their village. Beating him with fists and sticks, Pastor H was forced to run out of the village to escape serious injury. After getting some distance down the road Pastor H waited and rested, hoping that the Believers in the village would manage to bring his motorcycle out to him. A couple hours passed before he saw the husbands from the believing families coming down the road – but without his motorcycle. “They were still mad that you had gotten away,” one man said. “So they took their anger out on your motorcycle next, hitting it with rocks and boards they broke it down into many pieces.” The three men huddled together and prayed for one another – for faithfulness and for the salvation of those in the village so opposed to the Savior they desperately need. Pastor H then set off on foot for the long trek back to his city.
Please pray with us for Pastor H as he ministers in this village and other similar locations where he is seeing fruit in new Believers but also much opposition to the Gospel. Pray that God will sustain Pastor H in every way and provide for a replacement to his motorcycle.
Please pray for the two families in this village that they might continue to stay strong in their faith and respond to persecution with boldness in proclaiming Christ.
Pray that the villagers would in turn see the love and offer of forgiveness from God. Pray that they would see God through the testimony of Pastor H and their fellow villagers who have turned to faith in Jesus.
Pray that a new church will emerge from these two believing families that will serve as the Body of Christ – the tangible expression of our Lord in their village and the surrounding area.
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