On a recent mission trip to the Middle East, e3’s Director of Short-Term Trips and her team offered spiritual counseling to people who came as patients to a medical clinic.
“We share the Gospel with everyone, including Muslims and those who call themselves Christians,” said Kevin*, one of the trip participants. “Unfortunately, many of those who I spoke with had a works-based salvation. They felt their good deeds would help tip the scale with God in their favor for eternal life.”
But one woman, Farida*, came to the clinic with an opposite view of herself.
“We had a lady who came into spiritual counseling who looked at the floor the whole time as she was talking to the interpreter and myself,” Kevin said. “We asked her, ‘If you died right now, would you go to heaven or hell?’ With no pause she said, ‘Hell.’”
The woman told Kevin that she did not deserve God’s grace or mercy and that her husband had told her she was a lost cause.
“She looked up in tears and said, ‘I am not good enough for God,’” Kevin said. “My heart was in pain for her, that she felt so abandoned by everyone, including God.”
Kevin and the team continued their conversation with Farida, prayed for her, and shared the Gospel with her. Farida then gave her life to Christ.
“Once she finished confessing with her mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior, we saw a different woman sitting in front of us,” Kevin said. “Only His words transform from lost to found, broken to repair. This is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
*Names and images have been changed to ensure safety and anonymity.