testimonies

As followers of Jesus reaching out to immigrants in the U.S., a common thread is appearing through these contacts - immigrants are interested in learning more about Jesus, particularly as they've heard that the U.S. is a "Christian nation".  Yet what they've perceived from abroad and often what they find on arrival is that "Christian nation" and Christ-follower are not the same thing.  The following accounts are what some followers of Christ have found in sharing the message of hope in Christ.

  Aamhi - My story is of an immigrant who was eating in his car. At the time he was leaving, he rolled the window down and said to me, "I will take your materials if you eat my food, and he offered me a piece of food.

I took it and ate a bite of it to show love and respect to his offer.  I gave the rest to one of the team who was with me to do the same, and it was really good food.   I told him 'thank you' with a smile on my face, "It's your turn now", and I offered him the materials about the Truth of Jesus Christ.  He took them with a smile and thanked me.  Another immigrant rolled up his window and he said declined the offer of the story of Jesus; however, his wife rolled down the window and she took the materials from my teammate who was standing on the opposite side walk.  Praise God. We were filled with joy, and the presence of God.

  Maadi - “I really enjoyed being at the event yesterday.  I found that 90% of the participants accepted the gift, whether they were from a majority religion, Jewish, Zoroastrian, or secular background.  Knowing the language and being older helped me in talking a few minutes with quite a few. Also when I gave out a gift to one person and spoke in their language, often others asked for the gift also.” 

 

“I also experienced a God given moment:  One person asked where I lived in the home country, and I told them, and he replied that was his home city.  We talked about different locations there that we both know.  Then I asked him if he knew about the Christian hospital in the city (It had been a Presbyterian hospital, and then given to a Christian doctor).  He replied that he was trying to think of that hospital and its name all this week.  I told him that God must have led in this, and encouraged him to watch the gift and and listen to an additional CD that I gave him.”

 

"This man, Maadi, who lives out of state, then requested a full Bible in his language.  He asked, 'Have you heard that lots of people in my country are becoming followers of Christ?' ” 

  Mahmood - "Jim and I were sharing one Friday evening in North Carolina and stopped by a shop to get some coffee.  We entered the store and began a conversation with the clerk who was new to the country.  After a few minutes of friendly, light conversation, I offered him a copy of the English-Arabic New Testament containing the Gospel of Jesus.  Mahmood was hesitant at first, but then took the small book. I told him we'd be interested in knowing what he thought after he read some of it, with the intent to return.  A few minutes later we left and went to the car.  As we started to back out of the parking space, Mahmood hurriedly came out of the store to our car.  I rolled down the window, and Mahmood asked earnestly, 'Will you come back?'  We promised we would in a couple weeks, and left the facility.  We did return a couple weeks later, but Mahmood wasn't working, or perhaps had left the job.  Please pray for him and those around him - that the Holy Spirit would make the words of God's truth alive and that they would know Jesus.

  Aslamah - "Some friends gathered to pass out some JESUS Film DVDs one weekend during an immigrant-related festival.  While there, an older man--perhaps around the age of 70--came up to us and we offered him a copy of the DVD as a gift.  He took it and disappeared.  Late in the afternoon, he found us and excitedly told us that he had watched the DVD at home and asked Jesus to come into Him.  He said, 'I can feel him from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet!  Thank you for giving me the story of Jesus.' "  Please pray for Aslamah that the Holy Spirit would give him assurance and courage as he follows Jesus.

 

  Hamid - "I ordered a copy of the Jesus Film in Farsi for an Iranian friend who had become a follower of Jesus a few years ago.  I called my friend, Hamid, and asked him to go to lunch with me and, at that time, gave him the Jesus Film in Farsi.  Hamid hugged me and cried.  He said no one had ever given him anything in his own language before.

"Several days later Hamid called me to say that his brother showed up from Iran the same day that he'd received the Jesus Film.  It was a “totally” surprise visit for Hamid.  Interestingly enough, Hamid had always wondered how he would present the gospel to any of his family members when he saw them again!  Now he had the Jesus Film to present.

"After showing the Jesus Film, Hamid asked his brother if he had ever heard of Jesus.  His brother responded, “Oh yes, but I thought He was an American!”  Both his brother and his mother became Christians.  Praise be to God!"

  A Family - "We were sharing the Gospel in a neighborhood of immigrants, going house to house, and passing out a film about Jesus.  We came to one house and knocked at the door.  It opened and a young girl was standing there.  Two others from the household gathered and asked what we wanted.  We told them we had a gift for them in the Arabic language--that it was the story of Jesus--and it was for them.  They took it, looked at it, and then asked if we'd like to come in for tea.  We ended up watching the film with them!  God is so good."  Please pray for this famly, and others like them--that the Holy Spirit will show them the Truth of Jesus Christ and that they'll surrender their hearts to Him.