This story is from a Jesus Film Mission Trips Leader who recently led a trip reaching out to Middle Easterners. This team is part of the department that Lee helps lead: Global Mobilization.

“I stood among the masses of local people swarming over a prominent singer as I searched among the crowds …

My partner and I had been waiting to meet up with our local evangelism partner and translator. In this chaos, it seemed unlikely we’d find him, so I started asking questions to the people around me about the singer. I was hoping to find somebody that could speak English well enough to share a conversation with. 

After a few conversations here and there, I met Po and Jade, a brother and sister who were friendly and understood English well. I invited them to get coffee with us at a nearby coffee shop to get to know each other better. They politely accepted and followed us as we snaked through the crowds. 

Once we arrived, I asked them why they had left their country for holiday, to which they both replied, “Freedom!”  I promptly brought out the short film “La Liberte” on my tablet and shared the short film with them. Following the film, we naturally talked about freedom and its meaning. They shared about the intense restrictions they must adhere to in their home country. 

Jade then proudly showed me her temporary tattoo that she would have to remove before returning home [a closed country]. Curiously she asked, “What does that symbol mean to you?” I looked down at the worn cross tattoo and asked her if she knew much of Jesus or Christianity. She replied, “No, not really much at all! But just today somebody handed me this.” I watched as she pulled out a New Testament Bible in her language from her bag. “They said I should read it. Of the little bit I have read, I like it, but I don’t understand all of it.” 

After picking my jaw up off the floor, I asked her if I could share more about Jesus and the good news the book she was holding contained. They both said yes! I excitedly shared using GodTools® (a digital gospel presentation you can share from your phone) to explain the gospel in their heart language.

Just as I was struggling to understand one of the questions they had asked, our local evangelism partner and translator strolled through the door and joined us. It was perfect timing. He answered their final few questions, and then both Po and Jade said, “True freedom in Christ is worth the cost.” They bowed their heads with us, prayed, and received the freedom granted to us by Jesus.”