Time to harvest fruit
Jim and Judy Burdett have recently seen some exciting fruit from many years of serving God among the Dom people.
The little Dom church has been involved for the last few months in their first outreach project in many years, after being invited by another village to come and teach the Good News about Jesus.
Jim shares that the initial reception of the little crowd gathered in this village was not very encouraging. Though they had invited the teaching of God’s Word, they were not very expressive or easy to read. It was hard to know whether they were actually absorbing the truth.
Then, one afternoon, following Bible teaching on the betrayal, trial and crucifixion of Jesus, a quiet excitement spread through the eleven people gathered in the little village.
“One man, Joe, smiled and clapped his hands. Then Pita spoke up and said that he understood … and dear Red Tree, who generally said very little, spoke and said he believed that, like the thief on the cross, now he could look forward to Heaven, too.”
Jim sat stunned and awed at God’s faithful work in bearing fruit after many years of labor and preparation.
“It was a thrill,” Jim writes. “Especially Red Tree. … During all those teaching sessions he would just sit there listening intently, not saying much. … I was never sure how much he was following and taking in.”
But that afternoon, Jim adds, it became very clear that God’s Word was doing its work in Red Tree’s heart. “He said that Jesus had made the way for him; that like the curtain that was ripped in the temple, now he could go to God through the work of Jesus Christ.”
Jim and Judy are encouraged to say the least. “We’re all pumped,” Jim shares. “It’s been an honor and a thrill to have shared the way of salvation with this small group of seekers.”
The Burdetts first came to minister to the Dom people in January of 1982. They have invested decades of their lives in sharing the gospel with the Dom tribe.
God’s calendar for harvesting fruit for the gospel is not always easy to figure out. Sometimes progress takes time. But the two small Dom churches are established now and are getting excited about outreach to other villages.
Seeing God’s faithful work in Dom lives is a huge joy and reward.
Judy shares, “This group’s response to the gospel was such an amazing event!”
There are many ways to spend the years of your life—many things you can choose to pursue. But what could be more eternally significant than pouring your time and energy into sharing the gospel with people who have never clearly heard of the love of Jesus in their own language? You can get started today.