Meeting the Great Shepherd
A Global Partners missionary serving the Nune people is working hard to build relationships, establish trust and find people of peace that would become new disciples. She also works to educate individuals in the community on the necessary care and treatment of people with special needs. Here, she shares a local testimony which was a blessing of encouragement.
I love to hear testimonies of how the Father has called and redeemed people. Here’s one that brought a tear to my eye.
Recently I heard an old shepherd’s testimony. As a young man, he was a shepherd who looked after other people’s sheep in the summer, taking them high into the foothills and caring for them there. He stole some sheep and was thrown into prison. In prison, someone showed him a Bible and he began to read it. He loved reading the stories in it. The Bible just drew him in. Upon leaving prison, the Bible was left behind, as it was not his.
When he began caring for one woman’s sheep and saw a Bible in her home, he was amazed and asked her about it. Worried that he was a Muslim and might criticize her for reading a Christian book, she just said, “This book is my antenna to God.” She was a new believer herself, and afraid to say more. He was really drawn to the book and said, “Please give me the book.” So she did.
Out watching sheep, he had much time to read. He read and believed. He read about baptism and jumped into a river to baptize himself. As he was moving the sheep from one pasture to another, he “chanced” upon that woman again. “Hey, don’t be afraid! Tell me more about this book,” he said. “I want to know more.” She told him that there were other believers and introduced him to her small group. There, he received baptism in front of others as a witness of his changed heart. He grew in his faith and learned how to follow Jesus. Now he is old and his health is failing. Life is hard, but his faith is strong. He leads his family in worship every Sunday. He is seeing the Father meet his needs each day.
Praise God for the unique and beautiful ways he is working and moving in all places around the world!