“I want a divorce!” Ahmed roared.

Fatima shrank into a corner, making herself as small as possible. She had simply been curious and had some questions about the Bible. Ahmed’s veins bulged from his neck as he continued his rant.

“How dare you help those Christians with their Bible translation? You know I won’t have it! And to think, Moses used my motorcycle to transport everyone over to the Kiwis’ house! Scandalous!”

Just the week before, we had been in contact with a couple who have been living in this country for 15 years. They work with a Bible-translating society and are translating the Bible into the Great River people’s local language. They needed to find some Great River people who follow Jesus to help them with their final edit. They had asked us if we knew anyone who would be able to help them. We had asked Moses and his uncle who has been coming to study the Bible regularly if they would be willing to help. We also had asked Lydia and Rebecca. Some curious onlookers wanted to come as well. So it was arranged. Since we were going to be gone all week helping finish construction of a school at another AFM project, we invited them to meet in our house.

Not wanting to stir up opposition, we had asked Moses and the others to keep quiet about what they were doing. But when Moses used his father-in-law’s motorcycle to go back and forth, transporting everyone to our house, how could he keep it secret? Two of the main greetings in these villages are, “Where are you going?” and, “What are you doing?” Since Moses lives with his wife’s family, these questions were bound to be asked. Also, his mother-in-law, Fatima, wanted to go along and listen.

Throughout the week, we checked in to see how things were going. We heard glowing reports from the Bible translators. They were very happy with the eager engagement of their helpers and with the progress they were making. They talked about returning in December to work on more portions of the Bible. Everything was looking rosy. Just before we left, we had invited the couple to join us for our Sabbath Bible study. Everyone connected with them and was so excited that they could speak the Great River language fluently.

Of course, when God is making progress, Satan never sits back and twiddles his thumbs. Thus the phone call from Moses. Not only was his father-in-law furious, but some people in the Great River community were starting to hate the Jesus followers in Palm Village. Since that phone call, we have talked with Moses again. His father-in-law, though still not happy, has stopped fighting with his mother-in-law, and a divorce doesn’t seem imminent.

Many questions tumble through our minds. Now that “the cat is out of the bag,” how will the Great River people relate to us when we return? Sure, they know we are Jesus followers who love to fellowship with other Jesus followers and are happy for others to join us. But our stated reason for being there is to teach English and health principles. How will they see us now that we are involving villagers in Bible translation in our home? Will they still be happy for us to build a home in their village? These and many other questions we place in the almighty hands of the One who sent us.

We are praying earnestly for these dear baby believers. Will you add your prayers to ours? Pray that, through persecution, these believers will stay strong in their faith. Pray for the many villagers who have come to our Bible study group, that they won’t become afraid to continue. Pray for those who are opposing the work God is doing. Pray that they will discover Jesus for themselves. And pray that God will give us His discernment to be “as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.”

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