I was nine years old when I first went on a cross-cultural mission trip abroad. My family and I packed our bags and left our home country of Nigeria for a French-speaking country in West Africa. We were going as missionaries in a predominantly Muslim region, I didnโt know if we would be safe.ย
As my dad prayed for us before the journey, I felt encouraged. I was excited to share the gospel with the people in West Africa. However, my first one-on-one evangelism with a friend didnโt result in a conversion. I was ill at ease as I tried to break the ice that felt like striking a frozen lake. Gathering my courage like little David before Goliath, I told him, โJesus became my friend, and heโd like to be your friend too.โ I handed him a gospel tract with trembling hands and invited him to read.ย
His response was casual and comforting. He said heโd like Jesus to be his friend, just not immediately; heโd think about it. As an introvert, it had taken a lot of strength to reach out, and I was a little discouraged about his response. I have been praying for him, and I hope he will make Jesus his friend one day soon.ย
As Iโve watched my parents reach out to those who have never heard the gospel, I have seen first hand that itโs not easy. I know too that itโs not a job exclusively for grown ups.
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