Precious to God
February 16, 2009
Our new ISC couple is doing their part to make new connections and share the gospel with new friends. The Sengmanys have actively contacted several whose names were on an international exchange bulletin board, listed as wanting to speak English. One particularly strong friendship is with Rom, a 39-year old single man. They meet weekly to exchange English for Japanese help and they visit a lot! When they asked Rom what he believes about God and spirits, he said they are everywhere and you don’t know where they are. Then they told him the story of creation. He recorded all the words he did not know, and took the paper home with him. Pray that Rom will not only focus on the new English words he uses, but also on the meaning of the Bible stories he receives. Pray that these stories will help him learn who God is, who Jesus is, and how to have a right relationship through faith in Christ. Rom is precious to God.
Another outreach is with some young women the Norton’s met through a house church member. One of them, Kay, is not employed, doesn’t have any goals for her life, and isn’t sure that she even wanted to be born. But she is so precious to God! So they continue to get together, talk about God’s love, and encourage her to seek what God would want for her. Even though Kay began to read a book about purpose in life, she put it down when she realized its strongest message is that people need faith in God through Jesus Christ. Pray that God will prompt her to keep reading. Pray that her sense of emptiness will incite her to seek God. Pray that God will use Kay to reach the other women in this circle.
On Valentine’s Day, our team of four went out with 200 New Testaments. Each was in a sack that said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” The team members wanted to give away them to the people downtown. The weather was beautiful. Hundreds of people were walking the busy streets. But no matter what the team did, almost no one would accept the free Bibles. They ended up giving them to people who were giving out advertisements for other businesses, making it an exchange. One part of the team stayed downtown to eat and on their way back to the car, walked through a park where young people hang out, and came upon a group of young adults with little cardboard signs saying, “Free Hugs.” They were so happy to see this group, and after hugging each of them, gave them each a Bible, too. These young adults said their motivation was to give smiles, and to bring peace and love into the world!
At the end of the day they had given away 40 Bibles to people who are all precious to God. Pray for those who received a Bible to read it and for God to work in their hearts through His Living Word.
By Nancy Norton
