Slightly shorter in stature than her boyfriend Bep, Red had long, wavy hair that draped her round face. Her glasses seemed to enhance her initial quiet and shy demeanor when we were introduced about a year ago, when Bep brought her to the health evangelism meeting. When she attended church events in the ensuing months, I noticed how she was so willing to help behind the scenes. When Bep was asked to take the lead in cooking for the church’s New Year program, Red was one of the last in the building, helping him wipe up and clean the kitchen after everyone had left. After our weekly church potluck, she would often be one of those eagerly washing the dishes and cleaning up.

It was a Sabbath afternoon while Red was waiting for Bep, who went out for a church visitation, that I had my first conversation with her. I found her lying on the floor of the church, listening to a sermon by one of the most popular evangelistic pastors. We chatted, and she shared how she grew up helping her dad run his own restaurant. It made so much sense why she seemed such a natural helper for Bep when he was in the kitchen. Red eventually studied law and the Chinese language and now works for a company helping their Chinese business partners get paperwork into the country. After our conversation, it seemed almost natural to be good friends. While launching our café, she has been the primary person encouraging Bep as our chef, helping us obtain our café location, among other things. We have been blessed by her friendship. That she has been so involved in our lives has been a significant advantage when I invited her to study the Bible with Nang and myself.

During our first study, she shared that she had already read through the book of Mark and some parts of the other gospels. Bep, by then her fiancé, had gifted her a Bible. Inside the cover, he had written about the impact and blessing of reading the Bible and finding all the answers to life on its pages. At the time he had gifted her the Bible, she knew it was very important. She shared that she did not want to become a Christian or get baptized just because her husband was a Christian. She wanted to believe for herself.

Red thinks deeply, and every study since then has been memorable. She asks questions to understand the teachings and the reasons behind them. We would invite her to pray, but she would shyly smile and say she wasn’t ready.

However, our study on the origin of evil and who Satan is seemed to strike her differently. During our final thought of the study, we shared that we no longer have to be afraid of the devil when we have God in our hearts. Just as when Satan was cast out of heaven after dividing its family — because only one power could rule — likewise, when we have God in our hearts, the devil can no longer remain. As we closed, I was amazed when she offered to pray.

“Dear God, thank you that I could learn Your Bible and more about You. I want you to be in my heart and to always be with me.” Amen! Please pray for Red’s continued growth in Jesus through her newfound marriage with Bep and the environment at our health café as we work together.

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