'All you have to do is ask?'

Lonsi and Samam couldn’t wait.

The Akolet couple has been working with Adam and Julie Martin to translate Bible passages for several months, so they’ve been ahead of those who are just now hearing evangelistic Bible lessons.

They both believed that they were sinners, completely separated from God and helpless to save themselves. They had learned that God promised a Rescuer that would open the way for people to be restored to fellowship with Him. And they knew that Jesus is that Rescuer.

But they still didn’t understand how salvation was to become a reality in their lives. They’ve been begging to have it explained to them.

On Thursday, Lonsi and Samam put the final pieces of the puzzle together as they met with the missionaries.

While translating the prophecy of Joel in Acts chapter 2, Lonsi and Samam heard "whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Lonsi had an amused expression on his face as he said, "So, let me stop you there and ask you, is that it? Or is there more that goes along with that? Is really all you have to do is ask?"

The translation work for that day was put on hold as Lonsi and Samam heard the rest of the story.

Samam said she was so happy that she wanted to go off to the bush and dance.

"Jesus is God!" she exclaimed. "He came and took all of our sin on Himself and died, taking all our sin away. I believe that! Now I’ll be with God forever. I’m not afraid of dying anymore."

Samam has been terrified of dying. She’s said that she has had moments when her "insides were shaking," knowing how she stood guilty and helpless before God.

Samam then did something very uncharacteristic of the Akolets. She hugged Julie and said how thankful she was to God and how thankful she was that Adam and Julie came to tell them God’s Message.

Lonsi was quieter in his response, but said, "Now I understand. For years and years I’ve been trying and trying and trying to make myself right with God, but I knew from the Bible teaching that I couldn’t do it. Only this Rescuer that God was going to send could. And now I understand how all my sin went onto Jesus and then Jesus died. Wow! I believe that. It’s so easy! Man, I can’t wait to die! Before I was afraid, but now I realize that there’s nothing to be afraid of with dying because I’ll go to be with God!"

The rest of the village has four more weeks before they hear about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and what it accomplished. Please pray that they will gain the same understanding and join Lonsi and Samam in their excitement of being God’s children.Two Akolets who are helping translate the Bible get a head-start on salvation.