Walking into a ministry opportunity by accident

A day in the life of workers in this Asian country where ministry can take unexpected turns.

Recently we went to visit a friend and instead literally walked into a ministry opportunity by accident.

It all went wrong when we got in the lift. Somehow the wrong number was pushed and we exited on the wrong floor.

We knocked on the door and were greeted by a complete stranger but, unphased, we proceeded to let ourselves in. We greeted the other strangers enthusiastically, assuming they were relatives of our friend (not outside the normal experience here).

Once we had removed all our jackets and shoes (quite a long time for us and the kids to do), the penny started to drop. "The lounge-room looks a little different," we thought. "The carpet looks different, the whole kitchen is a different colour... this is the wrong house!"

Funnily enough, by that time our accidental hosts had started to warm to the idea of hosting this brash foreign family and were now inviting us to sit and drink tea with them.

Unfortunately, we needed to leave to meet the person who was actually expecting us, so couldn't stay and enjoy the impromptu hospitality. But we're thinking how we can return and make the most of this unexpectedly warm response to our blundering lunch meeting.

Pastor Shravan has been in a terrible place of bondage to drug addiction. And now his life mission is to prevent anyone he can from staying in that dark, destructive place. Along with workers from the Urban Development Project (UDP), which helps connect and train slum churches to meet the needs of their communities, Pastor Shravan hopes to help others break free from drug and substance abuse in his city.

"Can I ask you a question about Jesus Christ?"

“Can I ask you a question about Jesus Christ?” That's what Ken asked me as we sat down in our living room, where I keep a Bible in the local language on display.

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Banda Health, an affordable IT solution designed by SIM’s Banda Health team, is at an exciting chapter in supporting healthcare heroes in their local low-resource communities.

Speaking without words

Sometimes I fail to realise that God is the One who is truly at work. He doesn’t need me to say a single word in Swahili to move in the lives around us.

Hiba jelentkezett a sablon feldolgozása során.

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