Send! Web Extras - Second Half of 2008
Living with Mistakes; Praying for a Miracle
Gospel for Asia's women missionaries are able to minister in significant ways to thousands of women throughout Asia, who are often isolated from mainstream society. |
Tapi Mahli knew what her husband was telling her to do was wrong. She also knew that if she refused to do what he was telling her, that he would become angry. He might even kick her out of their home—then she would lose all the security that her marriage provided. Still, she refused to comply. She would not worship the statues representing the gods of his traditional religion. She refused to turn her back on Jesus again.
Tapi's husband did become angry and beat her up.
Tapi, who lives in Meghalaya, in Northeast India, was a Christian but had bowed to pressure from her parents and married a man from another religion. Once she was married, she wanted to please her husband, so she began practicing his faith with him.
Later, she sent her child to a Sunday school led by a group of Gospel for Asia women missionaries. In addition to teaching the children about Jesus, these missionaries also reached out to the children's parents. When they met Tapi, they shared the Gospel with her, not realizing that she had already given her heart to Jesus. Upon hearing once again that Jesus died for her, Tapi felt convicted and began to cry bitterly. She confessed her sins that day, vowing to follow Jesus and not turn her back on Him again.
This led to the scene in which Tapi faced the anger of her husband.
Sunday school programs for children are one of the ways that Gospel for Asia missionaries reach out to the children of Asia. |
A week after the confrontation, Tapi was able to share her grief with Tanaya, the women's team leader, who comforted her and prayed for her and her husband.
Tanaya was surprised the next week when Tapi came to her saying she wanted to follow the Lord in baptism, and that her husband was also interested in hearing more about Christ!
Tanaya requests prayer for Tapi, her husband and their children, that they will follow Christ with all of their hearts. She also asks for prayer for the teams that lead the Sunday school programs, that they will be able to carry out their mission effectively.
