Sam is a guy we worked with in Lal. He was probably a few years younger than us, but he looked and acted like he was about 16. It is not that he was immature or irresponsible, he just loved life and the boyish smile on his face took years away. He was quick to tell a joke, or sing a song, he was soft spoken and a thinker. He did good work and we appreciated him.
Not overly religious, Sam didn’t wake up early to do his prayers like some of the other men. He didn’t fast and wasn’t zealous about attending the mos.que.
Sam had been married to a neighbor girl when he was about 15 years old (she was 13) in a deal made by both of their families. Sam and his wife had a daughter and his little family lived in his village, a few hours from Lal. He went home most weekends to visit them and would sometimes get a little misty eyed when he talked about them because he missed them so much.
Sam’s father was a wealthy and powerful man. He was an imposing figure and quite strong spoken. He had a reputation as being a hard man and not exactly nice to those who worked for him.
That all changed.
Sam’s father became a follower of Je.sus.
He was humbled and broken and filled with the Holy Spirit. The dramatic change was obvious. All of the community was talking about the change that had taken place in his life.
All but Sam, that is.
We wondered what Sam’s reaction would be to his father’s change. They didn’t have the greatest relationship and we were curious to see how Je.sus affected it. The whole time we were there, Sam never said a word about the change in his father.
Recently we got news about Sam.
Due to a job change he had moved back to his village and was living with his mother, wife and daughter (his father lives in Lal with his second wife and other set of kids). We learned that he had become friends with a person from another country who was in Lal for work. This other person was a follower of Je.sus. This other person was the missing link for Sam. He answered many of Sam’s questions, he challenged Sam in just the right ways. He stirred in Sam the move of the Holy Spirit in Sam's life in ways that opened his eyes to Truth. He walked with Sam through choosing Je.sus and a life of hope and peace.
Sam later told our teammates in Lal that he had always seen something different about the foreigners living in Lal. He couldn’t figure out why we had given so much to serve people with so little. He was amazed by the way we treated people with integrity and respect. He was attracted by the changes he saw in our life and finally was able to put a finger on the reason for the difference.
Sam visited our friends recently, asking for more Bib.les because he had already given away all of the ones he received to people he had been sharing Truth with.
The old song says that it only takes a spark to get a fire glowing. Sam is one of those sparks in this country. Please pr.ay for Sam and his family. Pr.ay for boldness and peace as he shares about the change that Je.sus has made in his life. Pr.ay for people of peace for him to come into contact with. Pr.ay rich blessings on his life as he is an apostle and being used to do mighty things.
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