“My wife bitterly accused me of being lazy when I stopped going with the family to harvest rice on the Sabbath,” Moses told us. And when I stopped drinking, I lost most of my friends. As Muslims, we knew better than to drink, but that is what we did for fun. My friends despised me more and more every time I said no.

“I went through several years of intense persecution, but now the Holy Spirit is changing everything. Now wives want their husbands to learn from me because I always reply gently to my wife and take time with my three children. They also know their husbands won’t be drinking when I’m around. Many of my neighbors want to go to the Clay or the Church family for medical help, but they are scared, so they come to me first to ask what to expect. I tell them the missionaries will not require them to convert before giving them care, and they always welcome Muslim or Buddhist and are friends of the poor. Now my village has experienced the same miraculous answers to prayer that I have. They know the Quran teaches that Jesus was the greatest healer, and they are beginning to see that He is still alive today.

“I have already picked out some land in my village for you. Tell me you will come!”

Moses’ village is about 40 minutes downriver from where the Clay and Church families are working. As you read this, our partners, the Kiwis, are already negotiating for a piece of land there, and Moses has helped them get permission from the chiefs to build a center of influence where we will teach English and do health work. Emma and I are planning to settle close to Moses and the Kiwis when we move there after AFM training this summer.

We will be taking all our loved ones and supporters to Asia with us in our hearts. Thank you, thank you for your overwhelming generosity!

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