Christine Kucera is a member of this semester’s Passport: Expeditions team. They started their journey in Kenya where Christine learned that God can turn random interactions into eternal life change.
Perhaps the most humbling and joyful experience I have had happened at the marketplace. The team walked five kilometers to go to the flea market, and it was a wonderful experience being able to walk around and see the African way of shopping. By the afternoon I was ready to head back to our team meeting spot.
As I approached where the team was sitting under the shade of a tree, I noticed an African man sitting with my friend. As I came closer it was apparent that yet another man was proposing to my American friend. I immediately thought, “What else is new?” I sat down next to my friend and began to laugh and explain that he wasn’t going to get any answer but “No” from us American girls. It truly was humorous.I can’t say how our conversation shifted, but I know God was guiding the words that came from my mouth. What started as a typical proposal by this African man turned into the things of God. I asked this man, Adiz, where he was in his relationship with God. He openly admitted that he was frustrated and somewhat lost.
He explained to me that he was out to find understanding and truth. He wanted to experiment with different religions and then determine what he thought was the true religion. He had been raised with the influence of Christian teachers and pastors, and he believed these people didn’t really know if Christianity was wrong or right.
I admit I was so saddened and I didn’t know what to say, but God gave me the words. I asked him what he was trying to understand and what answers he was looking for. He said he was out to find the answer as to why God, who is good, would create evil. When I heard this I rejoiced because I knew I could help this man, since I too had struggled with this question.
I explained to him that God did not create evil since he is good and nothing evil can come from him. I explained through analogies that evil is simply the absence of good and where there is absolutely no good, then there is evil.
Our conversation lasted over an hour and a half, and by the time the team was ready to leave Adiz understood everything that was spoken. Though he did not accept Christ into his heart, he felt peace and freedom come over him. I told him in two weeks the team would be at the next flea market and we could continue our conversation.
I left that day with tears of joy and humility overwhelming me. It was such a humbling experience knowing that God used me to minister to a random African man in the marketplace. What great joy! From that day on until the next flea market I prayed for Adiz that God would move on his heart. I prayed that God would protect him from any spiritual attack from the enemy that might want to destroy the work of God.
Two weeks later, at the next flea market, Adiz and I crossed paths again under the shade of the same tree. He had accepted Christ as his Savior.
As Adiz walked closer, I could tell there had been a change. His eyes were lit with joy and peace. He walked as if the burdens of his life had been lifted from him. He looked as if he was a free man changed from the inside out.
He shared with me that he felt changed and had been born a second time. My heart felt so happy that one of God’s lost sheep had been found. I felt so happy that my prayers had been heard and answered by God. That afternoon Adiz and I read through the Psalms and New Testament passages. He had many questions about the Bible, and I eagerly listened and answered.
Once again our conversation lasted close to two hours, and by the time I had to leave I told him I would buy him a Bible. He was so thankful and happy. I introduced him to a pastor who could help disciple him and get him involved with the church.
Adiz is now a believer in Christ, and I know the angels of heaven rejoiced for him.
I don’t know if I will ever meet Adiz again in this life, but I am confident we will meet again in heaven. I rejoice in my heart about the whole experience and the work God did through me. I can’t say I expected anything like that to happen at the marketplace, but I am so glad God gave me the opportunity to impact a life.
I am still filled with so much joy and humility when I think of that day. I still hold to the truth that God is so good and the incident that happened on a random, flea market day is only proof of God’s greatness.
**Photos by AJ Levan
If you’re interested in going on one of our Spring 2013 Passport trips, this week is your last chance to apply. Trips close this Thursday, so apply now!
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