When I first started teaching ESL I prayed that I’d be a good teacher and that the ladies would be good learners. But as the weeks went by I found myself praying almost and only for God to give me opportunities to tell them about Jesus. If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ve noticed that I’ve had some open doors and some interesting discussions. But tonight was nothing in comparison with the other nights.

We had our second last lesson today and yesterday I was wondering how I would be able to tell them plainly and fully, the Good News of Jesus Christ. I thought I could tell them my testimony on the last class and was trying to find how I could tell it in such a way that would reach to them. I’d be talking to a little bunch of Muslim ladies from 35-60 years old you see.

At break time tonight I brought the coffee upstairs where the ladies started chatting and after telling them again that I disliked coffee, I walked toward the classroom. A lady, that I consider to be more like the “leader” of the group made a few steps after me as she asked, “You Evangelists, are you Protestants?” I just thought to myself “Hmm where is this coming from? We were just talking about coffee!” So I turned and we started to talk. Well, not just her and me, the whole group were waiting for a response. There is actually one lady who is from the Middle East but is a Catholic, so as we talked, she explained to the people that the only difference between Catholics and Evangelicals was their beliefs about Mary. Ok… She then said, “Right Gabriella?” (lots of them call me Gabriella). Instead of comparing Catholic and Evangelical beliefs, I simply told them what I believed.

Starting with our only foundation, I told them that we believed in the Old and New Testaments. I explained that all the prophets pointed to a coming Messiah that would suffer and be rejected by the people, who would die for the sins of the world. Then I told them why God was sending a Messiah, because we were in deep need of a Savior. I reminded them that God was holy and great and couldn’t be in the presence of sin just as we couldn’t tolerate a dead mice in our house. No matter if the mice was our beloved pet, we wouldn’t bear to keep it in its cage, lying there, dead, rotting and stinking. I told them that God who is just couldn’t simply allow us into His presence as long as we remained stained by sin. I explained how doing good deeds, praying, reading the Bible and etc. could not make us right with God, could not purify us. Like putting perfume on the dead mice, it wouldn’t help. We are helpless sinners in need of a holy Savior and that’s why God sent Himself, His Son, on the earth, and became a little baby, Jesus. I told the ladies that Jesus was more than prophet. He was God Himself. He died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose again on the third day. Jesus had satisfied God’s justice by dying on the cross for us. The Messiah had come. I ended by saying that now God desired all people to come to Him as helpless sinners, knowing they couldn’t do anything to earn His favor and trust in the only work of Jesus Christ on the cross to be saved from sin and find eternal life with God.

They all listened very quietly. Depending on what I said, some looked very interested, or agreeing, or understanding, or uncomfortable or just there. The break was over now. I brought the milk downstairs and couldn’t believe that God had opened to me such a great door. I praise Him. I praise Him.