Ten more Akolets believe

Evangelistic Bible teaching among the Akolets is scheduled to reach the death, burial and resurrection of Christ on April 8. But due to some domestic violence issues last week the missionary team – Adam and Julie Martin and Ryan and Sarah Warner – made an important decision.

Culturally, when domestic disturbances occur one of the spouses will often disappear for several days or longer until things cool down.  The missionary team was concerned that some who have attended the teaching would not be there to hear the final lessons.

After praying about it, they decided to cancel their other work after the lesson on Thursday, gather all the adults and share the Gospel message with them.

The women were uncharacteristically quiet and somber during the lesson, but at its conclusion Waklo and Amos, a mother and daughter, spoke.

“There's no other way!” they agreed. “It's only belief in Jesus' death! We can't do anything to add to that. He didn't ‘half’ His work. He finished it and said, ‘It's all done!’”

Namaik, with a deadpan expression that belied her excitement said, "I'm so happy that God has saved me."

The whole group was completely mesmerized by the tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom. They knew all about the tabernacle and temple and the articles in it from previous lessons, and they knew how the curtain symbolized the separation between God and man.

On Friday, another woman, Liwa, came to see Julie. “She had this big smile on her face and said, ‘I've come just to tell you that I've realized I'm a sinner and that Jesus is the only way to be made right with God.’ I was stunned,” Julie wrote, “so I took her inside and explained the rest of the death, burial and resurrection to her. She understood and said with great joy, ‘I'm not in Satan's fence anymore! Jesus took me and put me in his fence!  I am a sinner, but He rescued me.’”

Saturday, Lipi, the teenaged son of Lonsi and Samam, came for his weekly typing class.  The 15-year-old graduated from the literacy class and is now learning how to type.  After the lesson, Lipi said, “Did you want to talk to me about something?”

“What do you mean?” Julie responded.

“My parents said you and Adam would maybe want to talk to me,” Lipi said.

When Adam asked him what was going on, Lipi said, “Man, this Bible teaching is so good and it's the truth! It has really shot my stomach [convicted me].  I am a sinner, but God said He would provide a Rescuer, and I know that Rescuer is Jesus. So I'm waiting for Him to rescue me.”

Adam said, “Would you like to know how He's going to do this?”

“Yes!” Lipi said.

So after a few minutes of explanation, he too understood the simple message of salvation and responded in faith.

“That means there are now 13 Akolet believers, and we can't even fathom how God has brought all the circumstances of the last few days together,” Julie wrote.

“The pressure from the other religious group is building up on those still attending faithfully. The religious leader came through and gave a thorough tongue-lashing to them.”

The opposition has caused attendance to dwindle significantly over the last two weeks.

“But we know it's just helping to separate out those who were just going through the motions from those who are really ready to hear this truth. Please pray for courage for the faithful few to keep coming and hearing.”