The Pressure Was On

Kuna church elders and their wives gathered together to share at the annual leadership conference.

I want to share with you how God has led us. After I came to know Jesus as my Savior I became very sick. As I learned His Book, I saw that God’s heart is for the whole world. I told God, if I get well, I will do whatever You ask; go wherever You choose. Even before I was better, I knew that God had chosen me to go to [another village]. I cannot explain the burden in my heart for those ... who did not know the Savior. God put mercy in my heart for them. They are so lost, so confused, so far from the Truth.

At that time [my] village came to me and said, “Anelio, you are part of the church. We don’t want that for you. You must leave the church and work for the village.” Many people put pressure on me to leave the church. They said I should get a job teaching so that I could make a lot of money. My wife and I talked together. We decided the things of the world don’t matter, that we will serve the Lord.

The pressure went on and on and on. Then one day I was called before the village chiefs. They asked me who I was going to work for, either the church for no pay or for the village with good pay. I told them that God had put this burning desire in our hearts and that we must obey. So the village told us we were foolish.

So that is how we found ourselves in [another village] one year and two months ago. When we left our home I had no idea of what trials we were to face. We arrived there with nothing. Even though we had the village’s permission to be there, no one helped us. People didn’t want to hear God’s Word. The children first wanted to hear. So we taught them. We prayed and prayed because the people’s hearts were so hard, so full of the love of sin.

Then came the day when one man asked me to teach him God’s Book. That was the start and every day more and more people came. Now there are about 80 adults hearing God’s Word. More than 100 children always come.

It still is hard, but I can look back at God’s faithfulness. How He saved me. How He healed me so that I could go there. How He has given strength and wisdom as we serve Him. It is still hard, but now there are those that have put their faith in Christ and know God’s Word is the Truth. I am so thankful for how God is teaching their hearts. The believers are taking stands to obey Christ. We have an obligation to participate in the village drinking ceremonies or else we have to pay fines to the village. Nevertheless, there are many believers now who have refused to give in to the pressure. They would rather obey God

than gain the approval of the village and their families. But it is not easy. It is not a light thing. It means leaving all to follow Him. Some of the new believers are facing problems because their partner does not know God yet. So they may want to obey God, but their partner doesn’t understand.

Every one of the new believers are facing problems. We have been able to share that we really do understand. We have faced the same difficulties in our marriage and family. My dad was so angry with me for working for the church without a paycheck. Money is better to him than anything else, you see. I told him, one day you will understand. I did not doubt that God would draw my father to Him one day.

Now my father does understand the ministry we have.

So I can encourage the new believers to keep trusting God. He will be faithful to them, too. I know that He, and only He, is enough. Others don’t understand. May they one day come to understand God’s wonderful provi- sion of salvation and how it is worthy of us giving our all.