It’s not easy to follow Jesus in a communist society. When we met Lia (not her real name) in May 2005, she was said to be “worldly, materialistic and not interested in spiritual matters,” although she had been introduced to Christ two years earlier. We prayed for her and called her often, and occasionally she would attend our meetings.

To our surprise, in July she opened her flat for the meetings. We knew that her husband was a deeply committed communist, and we marveled at the invitation. She explained that she wanted him to hear and see what we do. Was this the same woman? In a private conversation later, Lia told us that it was through spending time with us and attending the meetings that she had come to realize the need to walk closely with Jesus.

The Power of Discipleship

Step by step, the Lord is teaching her. A few months ago her work took her to another city. While there, Lia had an opportunity to tell her colleagues that she’s a Christian. As she told this story to our group, she said that she had felt victorious and elated as she publicly confessed that she belongs to Jesus.

Her witness continues at the office. She told her colleagues who Jesus is in her life, and she said that although they are communist, they are not happy. She said she used to be the same, but since she met Jesus she feels that life should not consist of back-stabbing and craving money and promotion. What she experiences now is peace in the midst of all the unrest at work. She told them about our Sunday group—that we are believers who live happy, simple and honest lives.

Keep on Growing

Her husband now helps her clean the house on Saturdays in order for our group to meet there on Sundays. He cooks for us and sits down to chat with us Sunday after Sunday. He hasn’t yet made a commitment to Jesus, but with Lia we continue to pray and trust. She has asked us to help prepare her for baptism. We want to be sure she is thoroughly grounded in her faith before taking that step; she is still a fragile new believer in a tough and restricted situation. Please pray for Lia and her husband and for her nation that they will know the truth and the truth will set them free.