One night in May, Arjun*, one of e3’s Strategy Coordinators in Asia, took his team to share the Gospel with two families at their home in a nearby city. Arjun’s teammate, Lee*, led a group to a more populated area of the city. They didn’t realize at the time, but this area was extremely dangerous and teeming with gangs, alcohol, and crime.
“This area was filled with deep darkness, but seemingly an even greater hunger for the hope of the Gospel,” Lee said. “We have never seen so much response to the Gospel – both positive and negative – in such a short time in our lives.”
Crowds began to form as Lee and his team members preached, and the team was able to boldly declare the hope of Christ to nearly 50 people. Most of them wanted to know more about Jesus or follow Him, and one man was even miraculously healed through the team’s prayers.
Because of all the attention the team had attracted, a mob formed and began to accuse and attack Lee. By God’s grace, he was able to escape and later retrieve his car safely.
Paddy*, one of Arjun’s new national friends who was also sharing the Gospel with the two families, felt led by the Holy Spirit to move his car. As he went to do so, the mob that had attacked Lee was waiting for him.
“The Lord supernaturally filled him with boldness, and he shared the Gospel with that mob of 50 people,” Arjun said. “Through the power of the Gospel and Paddy’s display of love and care, the main leaders of the gang decided to help him.”
Meanwhile, Arjun started to worry about Paddy when too much time had passed, so he took a young college student named Melroy* and Paddy’s wife to look for him. Instead, they found the mob. The swarm of people surrounded them, making angry demands, hitting them, and pushing them. They were able to make it to their car to escape, but they had lost Melroy in the crowd. Arjun and Paddy’s wife searched desperately for him, to no avail. Eventually, they felt the Lord tell them to drive back in the direction of the mob, and they miraculously found Melroy unharmed. They then found Paddy back at his own house.
“Every time we go into the harvest, it’s a risk,” Arjun said. “But every single person who went with us rejoiced at being counted worthy of persecution. They want to follow up with those who believed, and they knew God was present with them.”
One week later, Arjun and Lee met with Kai, a man who had been contacting them nonstop after hearing about the mob incident.
“This was such an incredible time for us seeing a genuine seeker,” Arjun said. “And the reason he wanted to meet is incredible. He said, ‘Your God is very powerful to make you fearless enough to enter my dangerous area.’”
Arjun and Lee shared the Gospel and their testimonies with Kai, and now Kai wants to meet regularly with them and bring his friends one by one to see if they are interested in learning about Jesus.
“It is truly the book of Acts here,” Arjun said. “With the healings and salvations come persecution. Please pray for the Gospel to continue to advance and all of Satan’s plans to fail. Pray that God would transform this place from the center of gang activity to the center of Gospel witness for our city.”
*Names have been changed to ensure safety and anonymity.