Enduring legacies of faithful and foundational service

We of course continue to mourn the loss and presumed loss of two of the best in the mission fields of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East: Bibles for Mideast’s former director, Pastor Paul* (who recently graduated to his heavenly home), and his second-in-command, Pastor Peter Haneef (last known to be imprisoned in Tajikistan). The missionary exploits of these two remarkable men formed the backbone of the ministry, and many if not most of the stories on this site. I will of course let you know if/when we hear any news of Pastor Peter.

Zwemer ‘fitting in’ in the field

A missionary you have likely never heard of, however, is believed to have contributed more to mission work among Muslims in the Middle East and North Africa than anyone else.

Born in in Vriesland, Michigan to Dutch immigrant parents and later nicknamed the ‘Apostle to Islam’, Samuel Zwemer’s work is considered foundational in mission efforts among Muslims. His passionate prayers for the Muslim world mobilized countless missionaries to join the cause.

While he didn’t record or experience instant, flashy miracles, Zwemer’s work was instead marked by profound perseverance, answered prayers, and the miracle of widespread missionary mobilization sparked despite incredibly difficult and hostile environments.

Zwemer was not only a faithful missionary, but a fervent mobilizer for the cause of mission to Muslims. God blessed him with the ability to communicate well and to inspire young people to pray, give, and engage in the mission of God among Muslims.

Writer, Publisher, and Theologian

Today, Samuel Zwemer is best known through his extensive writing and theological contributions to Christian mission among Muslims. Over the course of his life, Zwemer authored over 50 books. He was more prolific with the pen than perhaps any other missionary to Muslims in history. One cannot accurately understand Zwemer’s influence on Christian mission to Muslims without understanding his role as a foundational theologian.

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*You can find more on Bible for Mideast’s former director, Pastor Paul, here: Testimony of Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast, a former Muslim.  A search on this site (simply enter his name in the box under Search this site) brings up countless stories of his incredible adventures in the faith, at least the recorded ones.

Another amazing story of God's healing and saving power

While we await a determination on the future of our own mission group, I need to share this awesome story from The Jesus Film people.

The story is from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia where over 94 percent of the population practices Buddhism. Hence, hundreds of thousands die each year believing they are doomed to an endless cycle of karma and reincarnation. Most never meet a follower of Jesus or read a Bible verse. In a country of over 68 million people, fewer than 500,000 are classified as evangelical Christians. Seems an ideal place for a Jesus Film outreach!

Somchai, a victim of advanced leprosy in Southeast Asia, went to an evangelistic outreach looking for healing. He felt like an outsider as he listened.

THE FIRST MIRACLE

The evangelist asked the crowd, “Who wants to follow Jesus?” … and “Who needs healing and believes Jesus can heal you?”

Somchai, a victim of advanced leprosy, felt like an outsider as he listened. Still, he raised his leprous hands both times, AND gave his life to Christ. As he prayed, the spots and lesions began to disappear and then completely vanish. His damaged and scarred fingers, however, remained stubs. Because God had a plan.

Somchai’s miracle compelled him to want others with leprosy to be healed, too, in body and soul. He knew that the film ‘JESUS’ would be the perfect tool. So for the next 20 years, he showed ‘JESUS’ in leper colonies. Somchai would raise his scarred hands as evidence that he once had leprosy, and declare: “And Jesus can heal you too!” Somchai’s son reports that many were healed and thousands came to Christ. But God didn’t stop there.

THE SECOND MIRACLE

Somchai’s ‘JESUS’ film showings were in partnership with the American Baptist hospital in the area. Along with the film, he and the hospital staff conducted educational outreaches, workshops and seminars on how to combat leprosy. 

Through their teamwork, leprosy was completely eradicated from four districts in northern Thailand! To this day, Somchai still shows the ‘JESUS’ film to unreached people. He holds up his stubby fingers, declaring, “Man had no use for me, but God could still use me.” 

Somchai is one of thousands of workers, faithful team members and partner evangelists who actively show ‘JESUS’ to unreached people. They take ‘JESUS’ to unreached towns and villages, meet with the new believers, make disciples and plant churches. They reach people on the internet too, using ‘JESUS’. The impact of these film teams is amazing, both worldwide and for eternity. 

A REMINDER

Please direct your givings to other mission groups rather than Bibles for Mideast until we determine our future. We still need your prayers, however!

SAD NEWS

Pastor Paul Ciniraj (from his whats app account)

There are no easy words at such a time as this. Our dear and beloved ministry leader, Pastor Paul, has died.

Since the ministry's next-in-command, Pastor Peter Haneef is still, as far as we know, imprisoned with his team in Tajikistan, all ministry affairs are up in the air for now at least.

I have been in communication with Pastor Paul's son and hoping to hear something from his wife re any ministry Board members she might be able to contact. 

Until we work out any viable steps forward, we certainly continue to appreciate your prayer support, but ask that you refrain from donating financially. If you have given recently and would like your money refunded, please get in touch with me.

May our Lord be your, and our, forever Guide, Protector and ever-present Help ....

Easter wonderings and rock-hard truth

As Jesus hung nailed to those old pieces of wood more than 2,000 years ago, he knew he was being brutally murdered by offended people whose offence had escalated into hatred. He was innocent and they were guilty. They mocked while he died an unthinkably horrific death.

He had every right and reason to think how unfair it all was. What about that moment of utter darkness (both physical and spiritual) when he cried out to God, “Why have you forsaken me?” Will we ever wrap our little minds around that one necessary moment in time when Father and Son were separate, as God-in-the-flesh let go of his flesh?

Yet, enduring the torture, Jesus reached down into the reservoir of His strength and laboured in his weakened condition to speak in their defense.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). As huge as their offense was, His forgiveness was greater.

And He expects nothing less from us. He knew that the people who were hurting him were not His enemies. He saw them as innocent victims who had been manipulated and used by His enemy, satan.

Christ Before Pilate, Mihaly Munkacsy (1880) The Bridgeman Art Library

Likewise—and it will take effort—we need to see that behind every offense is our adversary, the devil, busily "seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). His target is not the person who offended you, but his target is actually you. His plan is to get you to hold onto the offense and open the doors of unforgiveness. Don’t let him.

And have a happy Easter!

The Lord of the Ring

First and foremost, please keep up the prayers for our dear Bibles for Mideast Director Pastor Paul as he is still in hospital on a long, bumpy road to recovery.

We are still waiting for Pastor Peter Haneef’s newest mission report (sure to be exciting) from remote Tajikistan, where he is right now along with four other ministers. Please remember him and his team in your prayers as well.

Did you miss our earlier post about Pastor Peter’s own story of being dramatically ‘found’? It encompasses the amazing lost and found stories of many others (and of course continues to).

On that topic, I’d like to, at the request of many, present another entry in my own collection of Lost and Found stories.

I am famous for losing things, and continue to be astonished at how and how often they miraculously reappear.

The Lost Ring

Close-up of wedding ring

My husband Victor’s and my love of the interesting and unusual extends even to our ‘Russian wedding ring’ selection. We sport his and hers versions of a tri-colored design of intertwined rings of white-gold, yellow-gold and pink-gold. I like to think of the three interconnected rings as symbolic of Father (yellow gold), Son (pink gold) and Holy Spirit (white gold).

Victor’s ring fits perfectly and he never removes it. Since I risked my less snugly-fit (though now properly adjusted) ring falling off, it would come off each evening and spend the night somewhere near the bathroom sink, wherever we were, to be re-installed each morning after washing up.

This drove him crazy.

“What if you lose it?” he’d bemoan. “What if it goes down the drain?”

I’d just smile inside and out, knowing I’d never lose it and, well, yes, partly because it could, sometimes, be fun driving him crazy.

A number of years ago and still freshly-married, we decided to spend a few weeks skiing in Japan—a small country which, surprisingly, has more ski centers per capita than any other in the world.

We drove and bussed around, visiting many stunning mountains, chalets and resorts, all with beautiful, plentiful snow and friendly Japanese. As usual, my husband had fun shocking skiers and staff by hauling out his limited Japanese and so, instantly making friends.

At the last place we stayed, however, my ring went missing on our very first night. I of course couldn’t ‘confess’: part of me did not want his theory of my losing the ring to be true, while another part genuinely feared the anger he could occasionally erupt with.

So all I could do was pray my head off night and day, and continue to hope beyond hope. On our third and final day there, Victor was checking out as I stood nearby with our luggage—still ring-less, but praying and continuing to hope.

I bent over to tie my shoelaces. Suddenly and of course totally unexpectedly, the ring—MY ring—dropped out of the air and onto the floor in front of me.

Absolutely thrilled, my only sort-of-regret was I couldn’t tell my husband since it would mean confessing too much! But now of course, years later, he knows all about it. And our faith continues to grow with each lost then restored whatever.