Constant Surveillance

“And they were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him.” Mark 3:2, NASB.

For many years we lived in an exclusively Muslim neighborhood.  Fourteen months ago we moved into a Muslim village in a new area working with the same people group. As was our habit, we built relationships with the neighbors and told them the Good News about Jesus.  One older woman haji with whom Jessica* shared was the leader of the Koranic reading group.  Though she seemed open to the truth, she later urged the village leaders to expel us because of our religious convictions. We hoped to resolve the disagreement, but certain people did not want us to stay at all. 

About the same time, a meeting of the village leaders was held to determine how quickly we would have to leave, a Christian man we had never met came to visit.  He had lived in that village for many years.  He told us of a number of other Christians who lived there too.  The day before we moved, this friend, Mr. 9, was with me on our front porch. He received a threatening phone call asking him what business he had with us. We then realized that our old home was constantly under observation!  Our life had always had a fishbowl quality to it in our former Muslim neighborhood, but this was different.  We realized that everyone we met and everything we said was being carefully observed.  We had many friends, but the small group of fanatics led by the old woman haji considered us the enemy.  We were forced to leave.

Mr. 9 helped us to find a new place.  He has a lot of connections.  It is a cheerful yellow colored house.  The new place is in a housing complex rather than a village. For the first time in eleven years we live in a community with residents from multiple religious backgrounds including a few Christians.  Now, however, anyone can come to visit and talk.  Believers drop in to study about doing the main thing.  Unsaved seekers don’t fear anyone reporting them.  Even a number of our old neighbors have visited us. They remark that they miss us. We still drop in on friends back in the village and talk about Jesus.  The old lady is not happy about that.

We wait with expectation to see God confirm the proclamation of the Gospel in our former village. They are probably still watching us. May the only thing that they observe be the love of Christ flowing through us for them.

*Names changed for security reasons.

Pray that:

Pacific Rim personnel in Last Frontier places will walk worthy of their calling with the realization that they are under constant surveillance.

The Gospel seeds planted in the old neighborhood will blossom into a harvest of born again people who will gather for worship and discipleship.

The friend who initiated the complaints that got the Christian couple expelled from the neighborhood will encounter Christ, and her life will be transformed to His glory.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.