Pearls in the Dirt

Dear Friends and Family,

It always gives me great joy to be able to share with you all that our Lord is doing! Thank you for your faithful prayers and for joining with me in the Kingdom work that is happening here in South Asia. Your prayers and words of encouragement give me the strength to continue moving forward as we take ground for the Gospel.

The days here have been long and busy. That has provided great opportunities to reach many people for God. I am seeing how the Lord has allowed me to have fellowship with families through their children.

I have been building a relationship with a particular family through their son, K*. I regularly visit his home and often I help tutor this young boy. Sometimes we even play games. These meetings have been great because while I am there, I am also able to meet his parents and family and share God’s Word with them. By building these relationships and gaining their friendships, the families see that I care about them. They give me opportunities to minister to them and share with them about Jesus.

I am so happy that God is sending me to the people who live in very remote areas and who usually don’t have visitors from the cities. They realize there is someone who wants to visit them, talk to them, and not expect anything from them. For the first time, they are experiencing the love of God. Whenever we go to these villages, the children recognize us and become so happy. We can see how much they love us as they run to us. God is definitely building this relationship with the people. We are teaching them based on their age. They are learning about Jesus, Sunday school songs, and memory verses from the Bible. We usually finish the time with some snacks and fellowship. I am seeing how they are growing in knowledge of God and it blesses me to see them invite and bring their friends to join us.

There is a great woman named Pr* that I met at the bus station recently. She was a homeless widow who was staying at the bus station with a few of her things because she had nowhere to go. God impressed on my heart to talk to her. I learned that she did have property in her name, but that because she is a widow and no one is with her, some local politicians and government authorities took her property forcefully. She had no help or power to fight against them, so she was left with nothing.

However, she did not give up. She fought with the government officer a little bit and was now given a temporary room to stay in. When she found this room, she invited me over and wanted to make me some food. It was an emotional moment because when I saw her for the first time it was at the bus station where no one wanted to talk to her. However, because she is a believer, she has a desire to share her life with people. This allowed me to witness God’s goodness in her life. She is alone in life, a widow with no family. She is completely dependent on God. He is making her alive every single day! He is the One that is protecting her and providing for her. It is a big blessing to see how God cares about widows and people who are abandoned by society. It is a beautiful reminder that He never forgets people or abandons them.

One thing that makes me really happy in my ministry is when I find young men and women who are non-believers. After sharing the Gospel with them, they are open to reading the Bible. Then, because they are clearly spending time reading the Bible, we have some great fellowship as I share and explain to them more about God’s Word. It is an honor to explain it to them and tell them that what is written is for them, and for me, and for all of humanity. I have a beautiful time with them.

Many times I travel very far on my motorcycle. There are many days when I cannot even get water to drink. But when I meet people like these who are very open to the Gospel and to God’s Word, it is like finding pearls in the dirt. The difficulties become so small. I am finding many pearls for God’s Kingdom. I am excited for all of the men and women I am encountering in my ministry. I am thinking of them, praying for them, and following up with them. God has been doing great things in this ministry and I want to keep going forward.

Meeting with the children and finding these men and women is worth the tiredness and long days. The struggles are taken away when I consider what God is doing. My soul is filled with so much joy that God gives me. I am refreshed and want to continue to move forward and continue to find these rare pearls in these far villages. God’s desire is that none perish but that all come to a saving knowledge. I am seeing how He is working and pursuing His people. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey as we labor together for God’s kingdom, and as we seek all of the hidden pearls He is preparing.

God bless,

Pastor 7*

*Names and faces have been changed or omitted for security reasons.