Dec 1, 2021 The Uninvited Guest
An unexpected knock on the door changed Esther’s life. But she didn’t realize that would happen until later.
Esther was feeling hopeless. She is unemployed, living in abject poverty, and frequently mistreated by her in-laws. Her husband had died 10 years earlier, but Esther had no place else to go. She felt completely alone and sad.
Meanwhile, outside Esther’s door, a gospel worker was saying a prayer. Dear God, Please speak through me as I visit this home. This simple prayer always brings a sense of peace when approaching a stranger’s house. And, because gospel workers love their message, it is easy to smile and engage with new people. No matter how far they have walked, whether the weather is too hot or too cold, and regardless of the experience at the last house, the Tombe Adventist Youth members knock on each door as if it is their first one of the day. Even if they are tired and hungry, they know their mission is an important priority.
The Tombe Adventist Youth is a group of young adults who commit their time to bringing the message of Christ to people all over Kenya. Most recently, they are working in the villages of Ntulele, Eor Ekule and Sakutiek.
When entering a new place, the first step is to visit each house, offering a free Bible and weekly Bible studies. While some of the homes are clustered near each other in a village, others are some distance away in the sprawling farmland prairies and rolling hillsides. In these small villages and the surrounding homes, 75 families joined in studying the Bible. During this time, the Tombe Youth intentionally take the opportunity to learn about each person’s life situation. They also form prayer bands and exchange prayer requests, which builds a community of friends.
Next, the Tombe Youth organized several Sabbath school workshops and a week-long Vacation Bible School program to introduce children and teens to Jesus.
At each step in the work, the Tombe Youth build anticipation for a week of meetings for the entire community. When the time comes for the evangelism meetings, they have created friendships, an interest in the Bible, and an eagerness to learn more about God. Others attend because they are simply curious to find out why this group of young people are so friendly and enthusiastic about the Bible.
Regardless of why they attend, crowds of people showed up to hear the messages. There was a warm sense of community and friendship. The Tombe Youth gave out more than 250 Bibles in the three villages.
The Tombe Youth reported that the entire experience was incredibly positive and rewarding. The communities are welcoming and seemed genuinely happy to partake in the visits, Bible studies, and meetings. These young gospel workers received many invitations to share a meal in people’s homes. And, the villagers want more meetings! Praise God!
The most precious experiences reported by the Tombe Youth, was the opportunity to introduce Christ to 12 people who had never heard the name of Jesus before.
One of those people is Esther, the women from the beginning of this story. When she answered the knock at her door, she met the Tombe Youth worker who came to offer Bible studies. She had never heard about God. She was thrilled to receive a free Bible, go through the Bible studies and attend the meetings. Hearing about God’s love for her has changed her life. She has made new friends and now isn’t so lonely. While this hasn’t completely changed her situation, she has found happiness and peace and hope for her future.
This is not the end of the story. Thanks to the faithful donors who support gospel workers, more meetings are being planned in these three communities. And, preparations are being made to begin working in three more communities before the end of the year.
Please pray for the faithful gospel workers who are working around the world, personally knocking on doors to bring messages of hope through God’s love. And, pray for the people like Esther, who desperately need to know they are loved.
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:11