Eight Years in the Making

As I sat across the table from this couple whose story you will read I remember how impress I was with their unselfish heart and all the way home form Columbia South Carolina I prayed, “God please allow me to be part of their life and story.” That was ten years ago and their passion for the Mapuche people continues to grow. I am privileged to walk with this couple for nearly a decade and share their story with you. 

Chad tells it this way: It started with a shovel and a truck stuck in the snow on the side of a hill but it ended 8 years later with an entire family accepting Christ. Stuck in the snow in the mountains, Pastor Daniel and friends were approached by Sebastian. He had a shovel and lived in the house where the truck was stuck in front of. Was it by chance... no, I don't think so. It was a divine opportunity whose seeds would not sprout for eight years.

This eight year relationship took watering and nurturing. Each time Pastor Daniel was in Quinquen he made a point to visit Sebastian and his family. They shared a meals and spent time together. They shared life. Relationships were strengthened and grew into a friendship.

Two weeks ago Pastor Daniel and I headed to the mountains to the same community with a team of 12 from a church in Arkansas. Our goal was to share the love of God with the people that live there. We visited families while providing health screening, listening, chopping fire wood for the winter and sharing life and love with them. The team also did several skits of Bible stories. Afterwards, Pastor Daniel extended an invitation to accept Christ. It all started to make sense to Sebastian. As Daniel explained who Jesus was Sebastian, his wife and teenage daughter all decided to follow Christ. Wow, we rejoiced with them.

The next day we returned to their house. Chad began discipling them.  Several team members chopped wood in the drizzling rain. Several others shared stories with the children. Sebastian’s other daughter and 23 year old niece also accepted Christ! We celebrated with them.

Eight years ago the seeds were planted. It took love and time to water the authentic friendship not knowing how things would turn out. Taking time to just love people God places in your path places the responsibility for their "coming to Himself" squarely in His lap. We just took advantage of the opportunity and were just being ourselves. As I said, each trip to the mountains there was watering. But the harvest came on this particular trip. The glory belongs to God! Chad and Daniel plan to return to the mountains before the snow sets in when travel becomes difficult or impossible.

Tonight as you lay down to sleep you can close your eyes knowing that the church is growing among the Mapuche people. Take time to see in you minds eye this family. Pray for Sebastian and his family as they grow in Christ and began to share with those around them. Please pray for Chad and Pastor Daniel as they continue to equip people to study God’s word. Pray for the Mapuche who are largely unreached people of southern Chile and Argentina.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

The Whip... (Country withheld for security reasons)

The screams where heard by many as the electrical wires laid open the flesh of the young pastor’s back. Huddled on the ground the brutal beating by the local police official was objected to even by those who resented the pastor and didn’t believe. When the pastor finally lost consciousness the official spit on him and walked away.

As a young man pastor "B" was resolute in this small community evangelizing and proclaiming the love of the gospel. He daily sowed into lives of those around him living only on what he could make from occasional work and the gifts provided by new converts.

Pastor "B" will be the first to tell you he is no hero but a humble servant of God. Over forty years hundreds of churches have been planted due to his courage. In this nation churches are started with no existing believers... all new converts, people give from what God provides... not from their surplus and worship is conducted with minimal instrumentation due to their lack of resources.

After the beating people gathered up the pastor placing him on a cart for the trip to the hospital. Those who witnessed the savage brutality urged the pastor to bring charges against the official. Pastor was worried that his initiating court action would place a barrier between the official and the cross. Though physical persecution was common in private this public brutality could cost the official to loose his job and perhaps go to prison if convicted.

As the pastor recuperated he made his decision and forgave the official. This act of grace triggered a turning point in the ministry. He now leads one of the largest churches in this island nation and is a symbol of God's mercy to a lost people.

As I sit with this man and ask what motivated him to make such a decision he simply stated, "If a corn seed isn't willing to be planted and die it can't grow into nourishing food for others. My Lord was willing and so am I."

On this partnership trip the team trained 105 missionaries and were able to supply funding for 18 new churches from which proven leaders will start other new churches. Wow!

I can’t name the place where this took place but please pray for those believers who are in prison and persecuted. Today, more than 200 million Christians suffer for their faith, each day threatened with murder and other acts of violence according to persecution.org.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com
Cell: 704.517.0255

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

Island on Fire

In a few days I head back to C*ba where I will be facilitating a group focused on training national workers as they reach people, make disciples and start new churches.

Today when you visit the island you see horse pulled carts, shells of 1950 cars, government regulation at every level, food fuel, sugar, and coffee, medical treatment and hundreds of other items all rationed by the government and a church on fire! This is the world of C*ba, which sits just 90 miles from our shores.

United World Mission started when a group of churches in Ohio banded together (united) to establish a ministry (mission) around 1945. A training center was built; churches were planted, national leaders trained, and a vision for sending C*ban missionaries established. Then power shifted from one dictator to another and along with it came the invitation to all missionaries to leave… well it was more than an invite, they were thrown out. This resulted in United World Mission moving into other nations from Latin America to Africa to Asia. Today our work spans 35 nations.

Today, though C*ba is still restricted, I get a chance to help see churches multiply across the island by facilitating North American business people, churches, and other groups work together with national denominations. Recently as I began a discussion with a new North American church interested in C*ba I recounted the ministry work to them… as I looked back I was amazed. Sometimes I don’t look back and savor enough of what God is doing.

One C*ban group is made up of more than 20 denominations working together to identify areas of need resulting in 90 new churches planted in just the last two years, wow!

Now, we like to talk about churches planted but we must remember that each of these churches are filled with individuals, families like you and I who were once lost, troubled, broken, and without hope. 

“ Eduardo”, not his real name, was one such person. His family was struggling and fighting was a daily part of family life. “Things were always bad. I guess we were looking to each other to fill deep needs we both had. But this was not possible. Then a person came to us and talked about Jesus Christ. He explained that Jesus came to forgive and to help us to be filled with love, joy and peace. We needed something and Jesus became our savior and answer to our family need. Things are getting a lot better.”

Cathy and I want to thank you for your help as we see people healed, whole and growing in a knowledge of who they are in Jesus. Would you stop today and take five minutes to pray for the many Eduardos and their families living just 90 miles away for the United States?

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com
Cell: 704.517.0255

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

The Cold Chill

WARNING Difficult Story Material

Deep in the jungles of DR Congo *Mama Jannie hides covering her child's mouth so as to not allow the rebel militia to find them but the small whimper is heard, they are soon discovered and Mama Jannie is gang raped, left for dead, and her child murdered.

Samuel* runs from murderous armed bandits who are ransacking his village raping women, stealing anything of value, and forcing the men of his village who can't get away to join their militia. Samuel manages to hide in the jungle but a day later gets sick and within the week he dies of dysentery.

Armed militants invade Mani's* village. Horrified, he witnesses his father's murder and mother's rape. His younger brothers and sisters sit on the side of the house crying over the bodies. Mani is forced to join the militia and is marched off into the jungle toward the next village as his training to become a killer begins.

You find yourself sitting with the survivors of this genocide desiring to tell them that God loves them... What does that even mean to people who have witnesses and experienced so much. Words, so easy to speak and so hard to follow up. Looking deep into the eyes of those you talk to you experience a depth of hopelessness you never imagined. You feel the weight of emptiness and hollowness of a soul. A forgotten people, a story of genocide untold, a people brought to the brink and left for dead. Again, God loves them but what does that look like?

The gospel's words aren't enough, more is demanded. A holistic gospel. I remember the words of Jesus, "as you go preaching, heal the sick, feed the poor, raise dead... incarnational (I am the church), holistic ministry (word and deed).

All gospel work here demands holistic approaches that attend to the heart's emotional pain, the mind's intellectual growth,  the physical life challenges,  and the spiritual longings.

Over the past decade hundreds of thousands of women** and girls have been raped in the DRC. Women were raped with such brutality that tens of thousands required corrective surgeries. More than five million in DR Congo were either murdered or died from lack of medicine or food as armies from eight surrounding countries plundered DR Congo's  natural resources. While Rwanda was a known atrocity the DR Congo was at lest five times greater and not even mentioned in the press.

Kelynna* was  one who was raped resulting in a child, relegated to a life of prostitution, poverty and social humiliation.

But today, hope is alive as one of Congo Iniative's six foci, the center for holistic family development works with women rebuilding their lives through counseling, income development, discipleship, and fellowship and community. Today Kelynna is healing and has a small business selling soap and hand crafts. She is learning English and her children are attending a primary school thanks for the Congo Initiative.

After the many trips in and out of DR Congo I find myself back on the plane processing as I heading back to tell the stories and help those interested parties connect to this strategic partner. How do I tell the stores of new hope? How do I... stop weeping? Brokenness is part of my routine. Heaviness, morning, God help us be attentive to your plans for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Pray for the Congo Initiative. Pray for this land. Recent elections have the potential to set this country on a new course. Won’t you pray?

*Based on true stories but names have been changed
**IPS News

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com
Cell: 704.517.0255

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

And Then There Was One

Deep in the heart of the city of Caracas Venezuela is a Christian church struggling for its next breath, struggling like a swimmer out of breath with arms flailing just to get to the surface, and now in its last gasp the few believers left after the slow exodus say enough. If you thought I was going to inform you that this was the beginning of a new birth, you'd be wrong. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, it does. Then the last blow, the pastor and his wife leave for the easier land with the others.

The land is hard, drugs, open flirtation, sex, prostitution, brokenness, occult practices, and homeless people everywhere. When the pastor and his wife left, there WAS ONLY ONE person to left standing. As I sit here listening to my new friend, Jesus Sanchez, recount the story my mind immediate reels back to a sermon I heard a friend, Jerry McCollough, preach on 2 Samuel 23:11-12. Shammah was such a man. Not the leader but not a leaver. This story could be a blockbuster movie, the story of a single man defending a bean field. It was small BUT IT WAS HIS. In the face of charging enemies, an army he was part of fleeing in fear, a lone man stands his ground, tightens his grip around his sword and charges. Being a man who loves war movies I see 'Brave Heart', I see 'The Patriot'.

What rises up in a person that when their very life, family, possessions seem like certain loss; deep inside courage is summoned, focus is found, boldness engaged? We all have been there and so was this one lone believer in center city Caracas. When pastor Jesus in a city ten hours away heard of the situation a decision to help was made. Almost within hours challenges began for pastor Jesus culminating when a bus full of volunteers going to Caracas to help became stranded as the motor blew up. Those on the bus began to doubt their mission and almost all decided it was not their place to go and help. As a new bus was called to take the volunteers onward pastor Jesus shared his heart. He gripped his sword, stood his ground and issued a decree, "This new bus is headed to the promised land. Those who want to go back to Egypt can take your bags and find you way home." As everyone filled the new bus not a word was spoken. After an hour of driving a soft song of praise began to circulate. Soon full worship ensued. The sword of the word was in full swing.

Days and weeks followed of intense warfare. There were gains and losses but leaders can be defiant and the new emerging leader, Alex was such a man. No, was not in his vocabulary. With full reliance on God slow gains were made. One by one other's found courage and faith form the most unlikely places. The homeless, addicts, prostitutes, broken men, women and children began to have hope. One by one they came. As I listened to pastor Alex, the courageous man who is an unlikely person to assume the roll as the new pastor in the Caracas Church, we agree God uniquely prepared him. Today the growth is slow but with more than forty new members his church's light is burning bright in a community decimated with discarded worthless people (in the eyes of man) but precious in His eyes. 

When all seems lost remember God’s eyes are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their call. Take courage.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

If you are touched by what God is doing would you partner with us and consider a special gift to the work. You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

Blessings,
Mark and Cathy Szymanski
2011 Watlington Drive
Charlotte NC 28270
704.517.0255
mski1957@gmail.com 

2011 Annual Ministry Report and Update

Merry Christmas and more!

Cathy and I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Our prayer is that each of you expect God's favor to be reveled even in ways that are unexpected and serendipitous. CLICK HERE to read this report online. We believe you will be surprised and blessed by what your partnership in the gospel has accomplish this past year.

Perhaps you would want to receive a PDF version of this report. CLICK HERE for the report.

If you are touched by what God is doing would you partner with us and consider a special gift to the work. You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

Blessings,
Mark and Cathy Szymanski
2011 Watlington Drive
Charlotte NC 28270
704.517.0255
mski1957@gmail.com

Making Banana Leaves Talk

“Baba wala kufanya mimi kuondoka”... Father don’t make me leave, the young child begged. Early in the 1900s an old man who was forced into conscript labor for a brutal dictator went to the boss to get his pay. Taking his young son with him on the long walk would give plenty of time to teach him the ways and history of the young boys ancestors. The walk would take them though jungle and over dirt roads past many other villages. There was no way they could know that this walk would change the face of their destiny, and the destiny of many who would also walk the dirt roads of this nation.

The old man had seen many atrocities and evil in his life as his country is one of the poorest in the world even until this day. For more than a century it has been the target of self interested nations, oppressive leaders and regimes as they plundered the many minerals and raw materials found here. From Leopold II to the most recent dictator, Mabutu, many millions have been murdered.

As they walked by a village the man and his son saw something they had never seen before, a white man standing, crouching, kneeling stooping as he pointed and spoke to the men sitting in a circle on the ground. He was holding something in his hands form which he spoke. The two walked over to the group and heard the white man encouraging the men to repeat words. The old man asked one of them what the white man was doing, “he is teaching us how to make banana leaves talk” - they were leaning how to read!

As the old man tried to leave, his son ask him if he could stay and watch. The old man told him no because white men were cannibals and would eat him. After many miles of walking they arrived at the boss‘ house where the old man had to wait for his pay. When he came out from the office the boy was nowhere to be found. He ran around asking people if they saw the small boy. A few said they saw him run down the path on which they arrived. The old man was sure he knew where his son was going. He arrived at the village where the white man was teaching and found his son listening to the white man talk to the others.

The old man grabbed his son whipping and dragging him away while boy begged him to let him stay. All the way home the boy whimpered. They next day brought a new frustration as the man discovered the boy had run off again. Once again the man went straight to the white man’s home in the village and upon arriving he witnessed the old man teaching his young son to read by drawing strange figures on an old black board. After talking with the boy’s father they agreed to allow the boy to remain and work for the white man as a house boy.

Over the years the boy learned to make the banana leaves talk for himself. This young boy surprised the white teacher as he became a gifted young man guided by the Holy Spirit. As more time pasted the young Congolese man became a young leader, teacher, evangelist and soon hundreds were becoming true believers as he went from village to village teaching the ways of God. This young man soon became a leader in his nation and set in motion a dream that would not be believed even though we are seeing it, no living it today!

The mantle would soon fall, but not on the ground rather onto his son. Picking up that mantle Dr. David Kasali went onto become the grandson of a conscript laborer, the son of a man who made banana leaves talk for himself, a leader of the largest seminary in East Africa, and now the president of a new bi-lingual university in The Democratic Republic of Congo located in Beni, DRC. This new Dream is Congo Initiative, Congo Initiative.

New generations of proud Congolese recovering from years of brutal oppression, young men and women who have first hand experiences of murder and exploitation are now graduating with new hope and a determination to transform their nation. Yes, their nation, their land.

How could the old man know what would be set in motion by allowing his son to learn the language of the banana leaf, what it would say, how it would influence him, change him, give him and opportunity to know the true and living God and over time influence a nation through the perseverance of his descendants? It is obvious that it was God was. no is at work!

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

We're in Trouble

The pounding on the door indicated something was wrong, perhaps very wrong. When the door opened a man stepped through with an angry look on his face. Forcefully he asked why we were here. I answered him with a question that was not satisfactory. He introduced himself as an official from the local security office and requested our passport documents.

Unwilling to allow him to leave with them made him angrier. He ordered us to remain in the room until he came back. As the door closed I turned to my colleague and said I think we're in trouble. We both expressed hope that someone was praying for us at this moment. As we went through the activities of the day we could see nothing we did that was wrong. We were out on the street taking video, enjoying the market place, listing things we would later want to gather video of for our project, etc.

A couple hours pass and the knock on the door was much more normal. Opening the door the man thanked us for our patience and gave us some instructions which included an introduction to our new "personal" guide. Actually he was an officer with the public security bureau. I'll call him "Brian". After the security bureau did a check they found we were invited by the local university to create a video to attract international teachers for their university. These teachers would be believers with integrity, character, and honesty which would add value to student life on the school campus.

Brian went with us everywhere. I enjoyed getting to know about him, his family and his life. My job was to write a video script in the evening and get our speaker to learn it while my friend reviewed the video deciding what was needed for the next day. While the actual video was being shot I needed to keep Brian away from the process in order to allow the "talk" to get on tape.

One of my discoveries about Brian was his interest in stamps. Being involved with missionaries around the world (I didn't present it to Brian this way) I offed to keep the relationship alive and send used stamps to him when I returned home. He was ecstatic. Our relationship grew and when he had an opportunity to come to the United States to complete some studies at Baylor University I was able to connect him to a group who could receive and guide him during his time in the United States.

Factoid: Ninety two percent of international students coming to the United States have two major goals... Get an education and find ways to be part of American home life... they want to learn what makes us tick! REALITY: the second goal is only achieved by five percent of international students.

While at Baylor Brian was confronted with the gospel's message. He became what he was suppose to supress in his country, a believer. The lights suddenly came on for Brian as he realized why our relationship took the path it did. Brian began to understand God's sovereignty, His desires for Brian's present good and eternal life, and not just his but his entire family. Brian was becoming transformed.

Upon Brian's return to his country he sought out a person he knew was a believer asking him to continue the discipleship process with him. The believing leader was taken by surprise and questioned his conversion due to his employment in government security but after a phone conversion with me fear was eliminated and Brian's process continued.

Soon Brian requested a transfer and was granted a new government job. Oh yeah, his entire family came to know the saviour too. A family's life trajectory altered, father, mother, children, grandchildren, other lives... a new legacy.

Dare to reach to those who are different.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

Hope in the High Country

“Mr., mr., you have to take your stuff and leave. I won’t be responsible for it. You must take it.” About an hour before my friend and I asked the team we led into this town to look through their backpacks and remove everything heavy that was not needed for the next two days. Once unloaded we sent them on and would catch up later with them as we spent time with a local believer and finalize the storage arrangement.

We were headed to mountain village to show the Jesus Film and the hike would mean five to six hours up a mountain to an elevation of about 10,000 feet. The group of people we were to share the story of Jesus with were the Lisu people. Nearly three quarters of a million of these beautify people live in the southwest region of China in Lijiang, Baoshan, Nujiang, Diqing and Dehong regions of Yunnan Province.

Many of these mountain people have never heard of Jesus and few have modern conveniences such as electricity and running water. These are farming peoples who terrace the hillsides eking out a simple life with no hope or future. They live in fear of spirits whom must be pleased or manipulated in order get what is needed to live.

When the hotel manager told us that we would have to take the stuff with us we were dejected. This meant that we would have to load the stuff into our own backpacks and head to the mountain. Slowly we sorted and packed the materials and headed to catch a bus out of town. Once we got off the bus and started up the mountain we began to strain under to extra weight. Slowly we staggered up the mountain taking regular stops to breath and rest. Nearly three-quarters of the way to the village we heard something approaching from behind. Standing to the side of the pathway we watched with a surprised look as an elderly man maybe in his late sixties trudged by with six cases of Coke strapped to his back and flip flops for shoes. We starred at him and then back at each other as he went by without any heavy breathing or laboring walk.

Without a word we both thought the same thing and with a deep breath we left our self pity behind venturing forward until we reached the village. The team was already there as we expected, exchanging gifts and interacting with the Lisu people. With a warm welcome, refreshing drink and exchanging greetings we shared the idea of showing a film story in which the Creator God wanted the Lisu people to see and help them understand who He was.

Excitement quickly filled the village as we draped a large bed sheet between two trees and set up the battery operated projector. As evening took hold many gathered with small portions of food sitting on the hillside. With a brief introduction the film began. I don't think anyone spoke a word as they watch the film. For many this was the first time they have ever seen this type of media and heard a clear message of the gospel acted out in their own language. For the first time hope can to this high country home of a peoples who seemed lost in time.

After the film was over conversations took place throughout the night as many wanted to know and understand more. Questions around how the Creator God is above all other gods and spirits were asked and answered. Our local Chinese and Lisu believers translated and after leaving materials with a promise of returned within a week we got some rest in order to leave the village and our new friends in the morning. We know that local police many visit the village in the following days after word got out so we didn’t want to stay too long.

Morning came too fast and after some tea we redistributed everyone’s stuff from our overstuffed back backs. With some prayer for many who came to say goodbye the village sent us off. I saw the Spirit of God show up on the mountain, give understanding, and bring hope to this village. I don't know what has happened since but I am banking on the Eternal God and local believers from the nearby town to continue to nurture the new hope into a flame. I hope to see my mountain friends again. I hope to sit and talk about the time when hope came in the high country.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

The Man in My Dreams

“Father’s voice echoed through the house as his booming voice shouted at me, you have disgraced this family, dishonored me and placed your life at risk. This can not be possible! The argument escalated until the entire home was in chaos. Mother weeping, father’s making accusations, finally, I left the house fearing for my life.”

My landing into Casablanca Morocco was a bit bumpy but as I taxied to the gate my anticipation of this new partnership began to grow. On que people jumped from their seats extracting luggage from overhead bins. You could hear the chatter in French, Spanish, English and of course Arabic as I suddenly realized I was the outsider again.

Working my way through immigration, customs, and then finally out of the airport the sudden heat hit me like a wave. Looking for my contact was a chore as I moved through a stampede of men aggressively reaching for my bags and offering their taxi for hire, “non merci, non merci,” I said in French as I worked my way through the organized chaos. Ah, suddenly I see my friend near the road and I quickly head that way.

The cool air of the land cruiser was a treat as we sped along the road exchanging pleasantries. Soon we began to outline the schedule and solidify thoughts for our time together. Nothing about investigating opportunities to advance the gospel in an Islamic culture is easy. Everything you do must be anchored in prayer, love for people and a heavy dose of sensitivity to Islamic laws, traditions and realities.

That evening six of us sat around a large bowl filled with cocos and chicken as unfamiliar but tantalizing smells filled the air... I’m ready to eat. Pushing back the jet lag I accepted some mint tea and soon I am engrossed in conversions which takes me deep into the lives of those who come to faith in this restricted culture. As I sat on the floor I imagined this is how Jesus ate and told stories while reclining with His disciples.

Across from me sat, Ahmad, a thin lightly bearded man whose eyes conveyed some inner joy. They seemed to dance as he spoke. As each of us casually reached into the bowl we listened to one another’s stories.

Ahmad began to share his story of conversation... “My father was furious as I told him about my decision to become a disciple of Isa. I tried to tell him that it all began with a vision of a man who came to me in my dreams, but my father wouldn’t listen.” I leaned in. I didn't want to miss a word. I have heard of these types of stories and now I was on the brink of hearing one first hand. Ahmad, began to tell about the night he first met a man in his dream. “The man in my dreams asked me if I wanted to know the true living God. My heart was ready to respond but the man put his fingers on my lips and said that this knowledge would not come easily, it was not free. The man went onto say that if I wanted it I would be harassed, cast out of my family and perhaps loose all I had.”

Everything in the room seemed to stand still as Ahmed continued. “My heart was conflicted. I knew I wanted this knowledge that would lead to true peace but was the costs too great.” Suddenly I woke from my dream! In the days that followed I wondered if what I dreamed really happened. I doubted my memory but my heart wanted this knowledge. I wondered how I could find it... where would this search for truth take me?”

In this land true knowledge about the Christian God is rare and hard to find. For people like Ahmed it is against the law to change one’s way. Ahmad began to wonder who could he trust. Where could he go to find out more?

Days turned into weeks and Ahmad’s thirst only grew. Then when he started to think there was no way to discover more he met a man in a coffee shop. He was a man of the Book, a Christian. Since that initial meeting many discussions have taken place. “There were many days I left our conversations struggling to comprehend the meaning of our study. I began to realized that this knowledge would have to come just as much through a step of faith as well as study. One night I asked Isa to become real to me.”

The months and years that followed was all the man in the dreams said it would be. Ahmad’s family is very disappointed and angry, his job was lost, but his faith is growing and his heart is full. Ahmad’s transformation continues as he learns daily about the true living God. He lives on his own, works small jobs and is in conversation with several other men, who like himself once sought truth but didn't know where to find it.

For many who decide to become believers in this region of the world danger is always present. Hardship is not just limited to the economics or family but radicals persist and are always willing to act. Please pray for these converts to Isa. Pray for their safety and conviction to remain strong in the face of persecution. One by one they come, one by one they grow, and one by one they multiply.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski

www.mszymanski.com

mski1957@gmail.com

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