In a closed country, religious freedom is restricted, and open evangelism is not permitted, making it necessary for believers to share their faith quietly through personal relationships and careful conversations. We recently had the opportunity to visit a closed country in Southeast Asia and, to my pleasant surprise, the church is growing even faster there than in Thailand.
While there, I asked every Christian I met about their journey to the Lord and was fascinated by their stories. I wanted to learn everything I could, knowing that it all came down to personal evangelism. One person told me they used to attend an outreach center that AFM started. By befriending the missionaries and attending their gatherings, this person became interested in Christianity and eventually became a Christian, much to the displeasure of family members. Over time, however, the family came to accept their choice.
Throughout my stay, I had to consciously refrain from openly evangelizing or offering to pray for people, which felt pretty crippling at times. This was quite different from Thailand, where I can share about God freely and pray with people openly without limiting what I say. The entire experience greatly impacted me.
While there, we met a family with whom I felt the need to share Jesus in some way. Unsure how, I asked my family to pray for me. I then noticed weeds growing around the hotel’s swimming pool. Feeling called to minister, but unable to speak openly about God, I decided that acts of service could be a testimony in itself and asked the owner for permission to pull the weeds. So, my daughter Lina and I, and sometimes Adela, began pulling weeds early in the mornings. This simple act of service touched the hearts of the hotel owner’s family. They were very kind to us in return, even bringing us a bag of boiled corn when they learned we were vegetarians.
Several days later, we ran into the owner’s sister in a larger city, where they lived. We exchanged contact information, and I felt strongly that this was no coincidence, but that through the acts of service we had shown, the door to this friendship had been opened. That afternoon, we went out to dinner with the entire family and made new friends. I was very moved by how this family embraced us. I pray that, through our continual friendship, I can share with them about Jesus and introduce them to our Adventist church, albeit remotely, so they can visit on their own.
While the Adventist church is allowed to have a building in this country, they are not allowed to speak openly or try to change people’s religion. Despite these restrictions, I was touched to hear testimonies of how God used friendships to reach people. One pastor told me about praying for many healings, through which people became Christians after experiencing the power of God. This was a great reminder to pray boldly and fearlessly and to expect miracles because they still happen.
I was also greatly impressed by the number of young people visiting a Christian home for what they called a gathering time, not a worship service. They were so interested in learning about God.
“How long have you been coming?” I asked one girl.
“About a year,” she replied.
“Why do you continue to come?” I followed.
“I keep coming because of the energy, because of how I feel when I return home.”
That is exactly how I felt when I became a Christian at twelve. My mom and I would go to Bible studies at a friend’s house, and every time we drove home, we would be smiling in the car without even knowing why. Now I understand it was the Holy Spirit’s work, transforming us and giving us joy.
I am encouraged and reminded of the importance of intercessory prayer for healing and friendship evangelism, particularly since I, too, became a Christian through friendship evangelism in the U.S. These personal relationships remain one of the most powerful ways to reach others. So, consider who you need to be bolder with and start that spiritual conversation. Thank you for your support, and God bless you.
