Google Translate—A Tool For Evangelism

Did you ever think that God could use a phone app to reach people with the gospel? I sure had my doubts until now. When my wife and I arrived in Cambodia at the end of September 2020, we knew how to say hello and goodbye in the local language, and that was about it. We soon found out that the house that we would be renting was shared with our landlords, Po and Ming (Uncle and Auntie). The close living situation meant that we would interact with them often, and they spoke no English at all.

During the first week after our arrival, God was tugging at my heart to socialize with our landlords to get to know them. I went outside in the afternoon and sat with Po on a large raised bench in front of the house. Since I didn’t know how to say much in his language, we just sat there in silence together. After a couple minutes I had an idea to use my phone to speak to him through Google translate. We talked through the translator for a few confusing minutes, as Google translated the words but not the meaning of the sentence. Then I sang the one song I had been learning in Khmer, “This is the Day.” After the song, Po said through the translator, “You sing about God. Do you have a Bible translated into Khmer?” I told him that I would find one for him as soon as possible. The following week we gave him a devotional book and a Khmer Bible and invited him to church. Po has been coming to church ever since, and his wife Ming has attended as well.

God works in strange and awesome ways! He used me despite my inability to speak with Po and Ming. Please continue to pray for them as they learn more about Jesus and grow in faith.

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