Two Conversations:
(While we've been out on OJT in Lautoka we've been able to witness the amazing way God moves in the lives of lost people here.)
We visited a household yesterday where we met a husband and wife. The husband grew up in a Christian family, but when his parents died, his Hindu family members took him in and he became a Hindu. The mother grew up in a Muslim family, went to a Christian Church as a young woman, but then, when she married this man, converted to his religion, because "We cannot worship two different religions in one household." They welcomed us into their home and we shared with them for over an hour. We were able to present the gospel to them as we learnt more about them and their faith. It was amazing how receptive they were to the gospel and the truth of Jesus, even though they had another religion. As I prodded further on this issue, they shared about how they weren't really convicted Hindus. They didn't go to Temple much. They prayed sometimes. They also prayed to the true God sometimes. It was amazing to see how easy it is to water down the different religions here and live in harmony together (even intermarry) considering that these different religions are so opposed.
After sharing the gospel with them, we talked about what saving faith in Jesus means. We shared the costs of following Jesus. We talked about the transfer of trust from other religions to Jesus. We dialogued with them about what it means to commit your life to relationship with God. It was such an exciting conversation. Soon we needed to head back, but we left them with a small gospel of John, and we took their details and made plans to come back the next day! We prayed that afternoon that the Holy Spirit would convict their hearts to seek God and that He might show mercy on them and save them.
This morning, we went back to the home. I was a little bit more shy this time, because I wasn't sure how they were going to receive us. They opened the door wide and welcomed us inside. We asked them whether they had had some time to talk about things from yesterday. After talking a little bit, Shabina (the wife) shared about how difficult it was to make a decision about committing to Jesus. There are so many religions here in Fiji, that she was struggling with the life changing implications that the call of the gospel makes on your life. They said they were desperately trying to seek the truth. If there are all these possible religions, then they want to know the truth. I was so encouraged by their thirst for truth. It was amazing to see the way they were so hungry to find truth and to seek the true God. We encouraged them to continue seeking, to continue the searching, not to settle in apathy or to just wait around. We prayed for them, and arranged for our friends from the Church will meet them to start to read the Bible with them. I wish so much that I can stay in Fiji just to keep up that relationship with them!
So, as we said goodbye and headed back to Church. Then, as I was walking back, I heard someone shout 'Joy!' I looked around and saw Garrett grinning from a porch. We walked up and said 'Bula' to the Muslim couple he was chatting with on the porch. It was so cool! They pulled up more chairs and I ended up having an amazing conversation with Irene, the wife. We talked all about Jesus, who is God, who makes it possible for God to forgive sin, who lived and died (yes truly died) on the cross to save us. She had a Catholic background but had converted to Islam when she married her husband. She asked some really great questions, and I was amazed by the openness of the conversation. They had previously met other members of our team, so we arranged a time to bring them back. That afternoon, we went back again and they invited us onto the porch again. It was great. We sat and listened as they shared about their life in Fiji, their beliefs about Islam, their disappointment at some Christian youths who had damaged their mosque. They shared about how Fijian Islams don't strictly follow the Koran, don't hold to Sharia Law and don't approved of the extremests. My friend Garrett had been in ministry in a Middle Eastern country with Muslims and was enjoying sharing with them. We couldn't share the gospel in too much depth in these times, and we longed for more time here to meet with them and share some more. We're praying that God will use this positive interaction with Christians to challenge them to consider who Christ is. We are praying that there might be more Christians coming across their path and that as they continue to study and learn, they might realise the darkness they are living in, and confess that Jesus is Lord and King.
Praise God for the way He is working in Lautoka. Pray for changing hearts and Christians here to go and spread the gospel and continue the ministry here. Thank God for the way He has drawn people to Himself even this week!
(While we've been out on OJT in Lautoka we've been able to witness the amazing way God moves in the lives of lost people here.)
We visited a household yesterday where we met a husband and wife. The husband grew up in a Christian family, but when his parents died, his Hindu family members took him in and he became a Hindu. The mother grew up in a Muslim family, went to a Christian Church as a young woman, but then, when she married this man, converted to his religion, because "We cannot worship two different religions in one household." They welcomed us into their home and we shared with them for over an hour. We were able to present the gospel to them as we learnt more about them and their faith. It was amazing how receptive they were to the gospel and the truth of Jesus, even though they had another religion. As I prodded further on this issue, they shared about how they weren't really convicted Hindus. They didn't go to Temple much. They prayed sometimes. They also prayed to the true God sometimes. It was amazing to see how easy it is to water down the different religions here and live in harmony together (even intermarry) considering that these different religions are so opposed.
After sharing the gospel with them, we talked about what saving faith in Jesus means. We shared the costs of following Jesus. We talked about the transfer of trust from other religions to Jesus. We dialogued with them about what it means to commit your life to relationship with God. It was such an exciting conversation. Soon we needed to head back, but we left them with a small gospel of John, and we took their details and made plans to come back the next day! We prayed that afternoon that the Holy Spirit would convict their hearts to seek God and that He might show mercy on them and save them.
This morning, we went back to the home. I was a little bit more shy this time, because I wasn't sure how they were going to receive us. They opened the door wide and welcomed us inside. We asked them whether they had had some time to talk about things from yesterday. After talking a little bit, Shabina (the wife) shared about how difficult it was to make a decision about committing to Jesus. There are so many religions here in Fiji, that she was struggling with the life changing implications that the call of the gospel makes on your life. They said they were desperately trying to seek the truth. If there are all these possible religions, then they want to know the truth. I was so encouraged by their thirst for truth. It was amazing to see the way they were so hungry to find truth and to seek the true God. We encouraged them to continue seeking, to continue the searching, not to settle in apathy or to just wait around. We prayed for them, and arranged for our friends from the Church will meet them to start to read the Bible with them. I wish so much that I can stay in Fiji just to keep up that relationship with them!
So, as we said goodbye and headed back to Church. Then, as I was walking back, I heard someone shout 'Joy!' I looked around and saw Garrett grinning from a porch. We walked up and said 'Bula' to the Muslim couple he was chatting with on the porch. It was so cool! They pulled up more chairs and I ended up having an amazing conversation with Irene, the wife. We talked all about Jesus, who is God, who makes it possible for God to forgive sin, who lived and died (yes truly died) on the cross to save us. She had a Catholic background but had converted to Islam when she married her husband. She asked some really great questions, and I was amazed by the openness of the conversation. They had previously met other members of our team, so we arranged a time to bring them back. That afternoon, we went back again and they invited us onto the porch again. It was great. We sat and listened as they shared about their life in Fiji, their beliefs about Islam, their disappointment at some Christian youths who had damaged their mosque. They shared about how Fijian Islams don't strictly follow the Koran, don't hold to Sharia Law and don't approved of the extremests. My friend Garrett had been in ministry in a Middle Eastern country with Muslims and was enjoying sharing with them. We couldn't share the gospel in too much depth in these times, and we longed for more time here to meet with them and share some more. We're praying that God will use this positive interaction with Christians to challenge them to consider who Christ is. We are praying that there might be more Christians coming across their path and that as they continue to study and learn, they might realise the darkness they are living in, and confess that Jesus is Lord and King.
Praise God for the way He is working in Lautoka. Pray for changing hearts and Christians here to go and spread the gospel and continue the ministry here. Thank God for the way He has drawn people to Himself even this week!
That's so exciting Joya!
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