Have you heard the expression “Boots on the Ground?” Well our Live Dead Missionaries are the boots on the Silk Road. Here we’d like to take a moment and allow one of them to share a snapshot of their life with you. Some names and details have been changed, but this is a true story from this colorful, vibrant, and sometimes surprising region.

(Part one of Halen and Carol’s story can be found here. )

… Carol shared that she once tried to read the Bible but gave up. When I asked her why, she said it was too much like a story; not like the Qur’an. She shared the Bible was different because it did not have a bunch of rules of what to do and not do. This was the perfect opening to share about how Jesus taught through stories as well, and to explain how the New Testament is not just a list of rules to follow.

We shared about the new covenant made through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and explained about the problem with sin. We also talked about the need for atonement for sin but because we cannot do anything about it ourselves, God sent Jesus, as the last sacrifice, to pay that debt we could never pay.

As we shared the whole Gospel, as well as parts of our testimonies, I was struck by how intent Carol was, and how attentive to every word spoken. She occasionally would say she did not believe what we were saying, or that she was not sure because it was the first time she was hearing it, but as she spoke I could see moments of hope peeking through her eyes.

I could see her heart wanting to believe in the love of Christ we were sharing, but there was a barrier keeping her from accepting it.

We pointed out that God loved her so much that He would take women from half way around the world, far from their home to come find her in a park and tell her of His love. Eventually, Halen stepped in and kindly changed the subject, but I could tell there was something happening in Carol’s heart. We chatted for a little while longer before thanking them for having us join them and bidding farewell. And we all expressed the hope of connecting with them again soon.

As we walked away, we praised God for allowing us to share His truth with these two young ladies and we began lifting them in prayer. We prayed that God would use what we had shared as planted seeds in their hearts that would take root and grow. We prayed that Carol would be drawn back into God’s Word, and that He would capture both of their hearts. We prayed that God would bring more believers around them that would speak His truth. We prayed that they would come to know the greatness of God’s love and sense Him pursuing them with that love. We laid them in our Lord’s hands and asked Him to reach their hearts. That He would be found by them and they would come to know and believe that…

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16