"I being in the way ..."

Personal evangelism is not sales work. I'm glad that it's not. Personal evangelism isn't a science or even an art. Personal evangelism is having a task and never quite knowing how the opportunities will present itself. It's much like the story of Abraham's servant in Genesis 24. He was sent to a strange country with a nebulous assignment: find one of Abraham's female relatives and convince her and her family that she should leave home forever to marry a man whom she had never met. No wonder the servant basically said, "What if she won't follow me back to a strange country [to marry a stranger]?"

Missions work can be like that. Here I am in a strange country, speaking a strange language, to virtual strangers, about a strange religion (as they see it) with strange requirements. How do I meet the people to whom I will witness? How do I convince them to listen? My most fruitful method has been to spend time in Mongolians' homes. Sometimes, I am scheduled to teach a Bible lesson. Increasingly, I'm not really visiting specifically to teach a Bible lesson; I'm just there available for however God wants to use me. At the very least, I am getting practice speaking Mongolian and building trust with Mongolians. Often there's an opportunity to teach the Bible informally.

Saturday's experience illustrates what I am talking about well. I had a meeting in the morning with fellow missionaries about the formation of a translation committee. I spend some time at home with my family, played with my kids, and helped clean up the house. In the afternoon, I spend time with my lesson for Sunday which had been prepared earlier in the week. I thought that I would be going to Enkhee's ger for a Bible lesson on Saturday evening. Ganpurev's daughter Nyamkaa had spent the night at our house. So the plan was to take Nyamkaa to her house, pick up Ganpurev, and go to Enkhee's to teach a Bible lesson. I also wanted to visit Enkhamgalan and Mendee. Just before leaving, I tried making some calls. Enkhee was busy at work and not certain when he would be home, he asked me to postpone my visit. I couldn't get through to Enkhamgalan. Earlier, I had learned that Mendee was traveling in the countryside.

So I told Kristie, it didn't look like I had any visits after all. But I still had to take Nyamkaa home.

When I reached Nyamkaa's home, Ganpurev was absent but his brother-in-law, Byasaa, and his brother, Dalai, were there. Byasaa and Dalai had come with another brother from the countryside to sell meat in the city and to pick up some things. I learned that Ganpurev had went to a wrestling match with the older brother. I made small talk with them for a few minutes (standard Mongolian courtesy) and prepared to leave. But Ulzee urged me to stay saying that Ganpurev would be home soon. Ganpurev arrived about an hour later with another brother, Tomoo, and a relative named Sambil. Tomoo's son, Bayaraa arrived a little later. So here were five unsaved men in one room: Tomoo, Sambil, Byasaa, Dalai, and Bayaraa. Some had heard the Gospel before while in the countryside, but could I not find a way to preach Christ to them again?

Like Abraham's servant, I began to pray for help with the language so that I could see if the conversation could be turned to Jesus Christ. Sambil asked me about work. I told him I managed a gallery and taught the Bible. This led to a discussion about Jesus Christ in which Ganpurev and I had an opportunity to witness to all of them. Then on Sunday ... ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The update about Sunday I will save for later.

The key points are that if I would have found Enkhee at home when I called, I would have gone there - and missed the chance to preach Christ to five men. If I would have left Ganpurev's without waiting for him I would have missed the opportunity to preach to five men. If I would have not seen my time at Ganpurev's as an opportunity to witness ... you get the idea. But I praise the Lord that He had Sambil bring up the subject. It is what I had been praying for.

Please pray for these men. Because they live in the countryside, I do not get an opportunity to speak to them much. But God can take our witness and draw men to Himself.