Umar* was a shepherd for some men from one of the local ethnic groups who owned all the animals, and he was responsible to look after the flock and take care of the animals. Because of this work, he would travel long distances, especially with camels. Often this work took him to another country and back, by foot or on the camels.
One day, while Umar was going to the market in a distant town, he met a man who shared the Gospel with him and gave him an audio Bible. This was his first contact with the Good News, and the believer continued to follow-up with him. The believer often and started to build a relationship with Umar and his family. After several visits, Umar and his wife accepted Christ and were baptized.
As a result, the men that he worked for chased him away and fired him. They refused to pay him for the past work he had already done, and they called him an outsider (“Kaafr”), literally meaning “someone without God.”
A few days after this, the church planter came back to check on Umar. When Umar and his family accepted Christ, his half-brother also came to Christ — he and his whole family. These families continue to face persecution from those around them, but they remain steadfast and the light of Christ is shining brightly in them. They have had a great impact on their communities and have started several house churches in surrounding villages as well.
Living Water
The other ethnic group did not like this. They began refusing to share water from their well with the families who were following Jesus. Then Team Expansion’s team came and dug a well. Water is available now for anyone who comes, no matter what ethnic group, no matter what gender, no matter what age.
The small house church is located right next to this well. The well is a point of meeting, a point of contact for so many in the village and the surrounding villages, as well as people passing through. This gives them great opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Many from their village and the surrounding villages have seen the transformation in their lives and have started to ask many questions. This church has told the people, “This water is for everyone — and the greater news is that the love of Jesus Christ, who is the Living Water, is for everyone too!”
- Pray for this family and for their courage and determination to share the Gospel.
- Pray that they would be motivated to continue to persevere to reach their surrounding villages even in the midst of heavy persecution.
- Pray also that the Lord would provide for them. Since Umar lost his job, he has had to figure out how to work the fields in order to provide for his family. Two years ago, they had a major bush fire, and this year they have had many problems with insects. So please pray for their provision.
Wells are a major need in this region of the world. They create access to clean, plentiful water for whole communities, and they are major gathering places for sharing the Gospel. Right now, there is a generous donor who wants to match up to $20,000 to create new wells in this area. Learn more about how you can change the lives of people like Umar at teamexpansion.org/desertstreams.
*Name changed
