Ah Bang, an elderly Muslim man, silently passed by my friend’s house, heading toward my friend’s cows grazing peacefully among the rows of rubber trees. “He’s our neighbor,” my friend answered my inquisitive glance. “We help each other.”

Every six weeks or so, I visit my friend’s village, where, like clockwork, Ah Bang silently glides by to check on the cows. With each visit, I learn a little more about this man who has a leadership role at the village mosque and is known for his honesty.

During my last visit, I felt impressed to do something nice for Ah Bang, so I brought a bag of salty duck eggs as a gift on this trip. However, he did not show up during my visit, and I left the eggs with my friend while I went to see someone else. When I returned, I joined my friend in singing Christian songs. Ah Bang showed up with a big smile and sat near us. My friend had given him the eggs while I was away.

Ah Bang listened to our music, and when we had finished, he asked if I had driven there alone. When I told him I had, he said, “Wow, you are very good.”

I answered, “Without God, I would be unable to do it. You are a Muslim, and I am a Christian. We believe in the Creator God who helps those who seek Him.” Ah Bang was very pleased. He nodded, smiled at my answer, and asked me to visit his house. When I said I needed to return home, he insisted. Unfortunately, I had run out of time.
Later, I chatted with my friend, who said, “That is amazing. We have been friends with Ah Bang for several years, and he never invited us to his house.”

Although our primary focus is on people with a Buddhist background, we seek to follow the biblical principle to “do good to all people” (Galatians 6:10.) We pray that God will bless the seeds we sow and will teach us how to lead these dear people step by step to a saving relationship with Jesus.

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