A SYMBOL OF HOPE
From the comforts of home to the rugged terrain of the three mightiest mountain ranges in the world, I embarked on a journey with a message of hope. It took 14 hours on a plane, 2 hours on a public bus, a rough 22-hour van ride and a 5-hour jeep ride to just barely be at the entrance of one of the most beautiful and exhilarating places in the world.
My team and I began our trek at the foot of the Himalayas, immersed in the beauty of creation but looking forward to fulfilling our purpose. We were called to pray in this remote place for the truth of salvation and the Spirit of God to enter the land. As we walked for five hours the first day and two and a half the second day, we knew that we were in a spiritual battle. We prayed, worshiped and stood firm in our faith as we entrusted ourselves to God.
At the end of our two-day trek we came to our destination—an unreached village of women and children with a few men who harvested the fields on the side of the mountain. My heart filled with joy as the children, who have rarely seen Westerners, ran to look at us. The kids wouldn’t come close, but eventually the women motioned to us to invite us into their home. Without speaking the same language, we smiled and laughed as they pointed out their children and “asked” if I had any. I smiled as I shook my head and drank the chai they gave to me. Silently, I was praying that salvation would come to this home. I felt privileged that God would allow me to be in this remote village.
Before the trip, I had been given a bracelet with the “wordless book” colors on it that visually explained the story of salvation. As we were packing up our tents the next day, I felt God impressing on my heart to give the bracelet, as a symbol of the truth that would one day come, to the woman who had invited me into her home. I found our Muslim translator and took him into a field with the woman. I told her that there was a story in the colors of the bracelet. I couldn’t tell her the gospel because of religious persecution in that country, but I knew that I was being obedient to what God was asking of me. I thanked her again for inviting me into her home, and she told me that she knew I was grateful and that I had shown respect for her by coming down from my tent to talk to her. “I will keep the bracelet for the rest of my life,” she said through the interpreter.
I left the village with a familiar burden on my heart, with the once again unanswered question, “Who is going to reach the unreached?” Yet I rejoice because the only one who can answer that question is God, who through His great love, seeks out the single lost sheep.
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Who is going to reach the unreached? This is the heartbeat of the C&MA. May the Lord open the door for the gospel to be preached in Pakistan and all other closed countries so that all may hear the good news.
I enjoyed reading this article and hearing how God is using people to share the gospel even it’s without human words. We know His power is great and His Word does not return void!
Appreciated your last paragraph….it reveals your heart and the heart of our Father for a single lost sheep.
Good job on the article.
Love you!
Poppy
Thank God for young people who are willing to answer the call to go to the “hard places” in the world with the Good News.
I am reminded again at how great our God is when I hear how He uses us – weak, unable to communicate, and far from home! Yet through Him we are strong, can speak through Him in our hearts, and are only a step away from our true home – heaven. Thanks for going to the hard places, Holly, following God’s call, and living life fully committed to Him! I’ll be praying for this woman in the heights of the Himilayas who is shrouded by the dark lies of the enemy – May she come to know our Father and be a witness to these remote areas!
I got chills as I read your artical! What a powerful story! I can’t wait till someone comes along who can explain the bracelet to her…bringing water to the planted seeds.
It’s amazing that no matter where you are in the world, ministry starts with a cup of something. In this case Chai Tea. Hats off to you sister!
I understand sharing God’s love without words. It is one of the hardest experiences to love someone without the capacity to explain what that love is, or why it is so deep. One has to rely fully on God’s amazing grace that the message that is intended will be made clear to the recipient across cultural and language barriers.
Faith, Hope, and Love!
Holly,
Thanks for being an example of Faith. Your witness has shown you have overcome the world in Christ. You put his victory into practice. What a great testimony!
Great article, Holly! Blessings on you as you continue to follow God’s call on your life! Debbie
Wonderful article. I appreciate the authors articulation of what we are to do with our hearts when they are burdened for the lost. She reveals that we are to recognize that the weight we feel is the weight that God feels for a single lost sheep! It need not overwhelm us, but drive us to prayer, and prayer to action! It is good to bear God’s burden for the lost with Him, and pray that He might be pleased to use us in His work! What a mighty, gracious, and compassionate God we serve!
Holly, thank you for having beautiful feet that were willing to take a very long trek to demonstrate the love of Christ to the unreached. I hope your article inspires many to “go” to those who have yet to hear of Christ.
Holly, keep on keepin’ on!!! God’s hand is mightily upon you. AS the chapel speaker said on wednesday, “Jesus isn’t safe”, and you know it, but He is good!
Your comrade in Christ,
Luis
Amazing…and such an encouragement to read. Blessings on you Holly!