The Face of Fragility Changed Forever
This is an eye witness account of what happened to a woman who had been a temporary wife, and then met Jesus Christ.
If you looked at Fariba’s face a few months ago, you saw a woman whom time had made old and fragile. To provide shelter for herself, Fariba lived as a sigheh wife for many years. Then she was befriended by Christians and joined a small house church. She liked her new friends, but found it very painful to share who she was: a temporary wife.
Fariba became a Christian and began to go to discipleship classes. Here, as the Bible was being taught, she broke down in tears, overwhelmed by a love that affirmed her worth as a woman, and covered her guilt and shame: the guilt of hurting the first wife, and the shame of being with a man who only wanted her body.
Now if you look at Fariba’s face, you will see her eyes dance with joy. She has repented of sigheh, and has joined the bride of the One whose love is faithful. Her face of fragility has changed forever.
Pray for: an end to the practice of sigheh. Many other women to be reached. Fariba and her family
Unexpected Friends
Mehdi and Simin, a young couple who completed Elam's evangelism training, needed somewhere to stay in a city in central Iran, where they planned to distribute New testaments and share Jesus with people in the streets. A kind hoot; manager gave them a room. Though the room normally rented for equivalent of $30 - $40 a night, he charged them just $7.00 . They couldn't believe their good fortune. Early one morning after they had stayed in the hotel nearly five months, the manager knocked at their door. He told them that the secret police had issue a directive to hotel staff throughout the city, requiring that they report any young couple booking a room. The directive went on to explain that the young couple had been seen giving Muslims Christian books and talking about inviting Jesus into their lives. The manager advised Mehdi and Simin to leave immediately. They were surprise when he added, "God be with you."
Mehdi and Simin left th hotel with their few belonging and walked the street wondering where to go and what to do. They knew that God is faithful and believed He would use them to work great miracles in that city. They were not going to be driven away because the police were looking for them. They found a real state and an apartment for rent at a discounted rate. The owner was kind to them and helped them get settled. For a second time, Mehdi and Simin were reminded of Rahab, who was not a Jew but trusted the God of Israel, hip the spies, and in helping them escape, saved herself.
Forty-one baptised in one city on Easter Sunday
The church in this city had been wiped out in the early 1900s, and there had been no Christian witness until just a few years ago when a Persian speaking church was planted there. This past Easter Sunday forty-one people were baptized there in a thriving church led by Elam graduates. Thirty-nine of them were from a Muslim background and two were from a nominal Christian one. These two had been led to Christ by an Iranian believer from a Muslim background.
During a powerful service, twenty-six Iranians, fourteen Afghans, and one Iraqi shared their testimonies and glorified Christ. Families were baptized together. In one case a grandmother with her daughter and son in law and their two teenage boys were baptized, and in another, an Afghan lady with her five children who are in their twenties.
“The peace he has given me is more important”
Some evangelists noticed a man standing alone and went to witness him. The man began to quietly share about his life. He was blind in one eye, both his parents had died, and he had a very difficult background. “I know that healing can only come from Jesus,” he said. The believers asked if he wanted prayer, and he was willing. After he was prayed for, he said, “I have such a peace now. If Jesus doesn’t heal me it doesn’t matter – the peace He has given me is more important.”
Ten seekers receive a New Testament
In early 2009, one couple travelled to another city in Iran for a short two day vacation. They took ten New Testaments and asked the Lord to direct them in witnessing. The first person they shared with was the receptionist at their hotel. The man was very happy and said he had been praying and searching for the New Testament. They were up till 4:00am explaining the Gospel and then the receptionist repented. The two evangelists managed to distribute all ten New Testaments, and to their utter amazement all ten said they had been looking for or praying for a copy.
"We are tired of religion, we want to see what the truth is"
When a family of five were each given the New Testament they were shocked to hear that the Christian sharing with them had an Iranian name - they didn't believe it was possible for Iranians to become Christian. The duaghter in the family then said, "We are tired of our religion, we want to see what the truth is. How did you become a Christian?"
"I was like you - I recieved a New Testament and read it. I understood it was the truth and then God opened up his Word for me." The family took the Scriptures and went on their way. From far off the daughter returned and requested one more New Testament for a friend who said was also interested in Christ.
"Can we say our (Islamic) prayers in your church"
On Tuesday September 15, an Iranian couple were walking the streets of a city in the Middle East where Elam graduates lead an Iranian church. The church is situated in a busy part of a tourist area and is easily visible to passers by. The couple saw the church and entered. Finding one of the church leaders, they said, "Can we say our (Islamic) prayers in your church?"
The church leaders were taken aback - they'd never been asked this before. What to do?
They decided to show hospitality and kindness and offered them lunch. The couple gladly accepted and sat down in the church to eat. One of the church leaders gave them a New Testament and began to explain the gospel as they ate. Their conversation lasted two hours and the leader asked if they wanted to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. The couple were ready and bowed their heads and said the sinner's prayer. They came wanting to say their Islamic prayers, and ended up praying to Jesus for salvation!
That very evening the couple returned to join the church's weekly prayer meeting. What a beautiful sight it was to see them slowly hold out their hands in praiseto the living God they had just met!
Answered prayer – God’s perfect timing
In December, leaders of a church in a country near Iran were praying fervently that God would send them people open to hearing about Jesus. While they were praying, Jafar and Abbas, two travellers from Iran, entered the church and asked to speak with the pastor. A friend had described a particular church where the men could find answers to their questions about Jesus. Confident that they had finally located the church their friend had recommended, Jafar and Abbas appeared just as the leaders were praying for seekers.
The pastor shared the Gospel with the two men, while the church leaders continued to pray. Jafar and Abbas wept as they learned that Jesus is Lord and had personally sought them. They accepted Jesus immediately and stayed on for a week of Bible teaching and worship before returning to Iran. The pastor stayed in touch and promised to send believers to disciple them.
Pray for Jafar and Abbas as they return home as powerful witnesses to the Gospel. Pray also that God continues to provide this church with similar opportunities. Pray for house churches which work to disciple new Christians in Iran and help them mature in their faith.