News > Middle East

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’”  John 21:15

On the 28^thof April, 2011, “Q” UBF hosted a small gathering of middle eastern co-workers in order to celebrate an Easter Bible School. The conference was held at the house ch**ch of J***h and D***h. The subject of the Bible School was the Gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection from John’s Gospel. We met on Thursday evening to study John 18:1-19:16 regarding Jesus’ arrest, trial before Pilate, and condemnation to be crucified. The Next morning, April 29^thwe met for a worship service since in the M*slem world, the day of worship is Friday rather than Sunday. As part of our worship, we listened to a m**sion report about the pioneering work of J & M from the Ukraine delivered by J.P. We then studied the event of Jesus’ death on the cross wrote from their hearts testifying to and accepting the death of Jesus very personally. After dinner on the 29^thof April, we again gathered to study the word of God together. The passage for Friday evening was the event of Jesus’ resurrection from John 20. It was wonderful to learn that Jesus defeated the power of sin and death by his resurrection from the dead. On Saturday morning, we gathered for the last time to study John 21, and to learn the depth of Jesus’ love for his weak disciples. Jesus did not condemn them nor rebuke them for their failures but rather the good shepherd Jesus invited them to breakfast showed them the full extent of his unchanging love for them. Later, Jesus challenged Peter to confess his love for Jesus much as he had challenged him some years ago to confess faith in Jesus. We all made our confession of love for Jesus by promising to feed his sheep.

The coworkers who were able to attend the Bible school were G**eon and F**th from the “U”, even though G**eon is no longer working in the “U” but has found a job in “S”. I believe that soon, F**th his wife and his two children will join him in “S”. M H**nah from the “U” also joined us with her two children. We also had very special guests from the Ukraine, John & Maria. They had not visited the middle east before and had it in mind to attend the Bible school with their daughter Maria Joy of “T”. However, when Maria Joy was unable to attend the middle east Easter Bible school because of her own “T” conf**ence, John and Maria did not change their minds. They invited themselves to join us as their prayer for the middle east. And in that way, they became a source of joy to all of us there. Another unexpected couple from the middle east also surprised us and encouraged us at the same time. Two new Bible students, Jamie & Laura of “Q”, also joined our Bible school. They had begun one to one Bible study with J***ph and D***rah only recently. But their hearts were overflowing with desire to study Bible more deeply. They were indeed an encouragement to us all. They answered questions, participated wholeheartedly in the Bible studies, wrote testimonies and also shared in our group. Even one person attending the Bible school would have been a great encouragement to our coworkers who labor night and day in prayer and in service to the middle east. So how great it was to have so many come and share in our fight of faith to bring the Gospel to the people of the middle east.

Another source of encouragement were the natives who joined us in our Bible school. It is for their sake that our coworkers in the middle east labor with all their hearts. The first native is “R”— a Lebanese in origin— but who works in “Q”. “R” is a single young man who has taken root in the Gospel through fellowship with “S” and “H’s house ch**ch in Lebanon and later through fellowship with J***ph and D***ah’s house ch**ch in “Q”. “R” has been very faithful to Bible study and to attending the service held in J***ph and D***rah’s house ch**ch every Friday.  In the last five years he has grown from a sheep into a shepherd, with a sense of responsibility for serving the Arab people with the Go**el of our Lord. At the Bible school, it was evident that he had matured in his inner man so as to be a good Bible teacher.

“M” is another native Arab originally from E**pt but also working in “Q”. He has a heart for the people of E**pt and has already brought the Gospel to his people in E**pt. In “Q” where it is dangerous to spread the Gospel, we were deeply touched when “M”, a growing shepherd brought one of his friends to the Bible school. His friend whose name is “R**h**er” is now studying Bible one to one with him. How precious it was to witness native shepherds serve one to one ministry as shepherds of God’s flock. Through Moody’s faith and ministry we could have vision to see the Middle East turn to Christ J**us.

Another growing shepherdess is “Y”. She is a native of Indonesia. She was born into a Christian family, but accepted Jesus as her personal Savior through one to one Bible study in the Indonesia ministry. Later she got a job with an airline and came to work in “Q”. She is indeed a source of blessing on the ministry of J***ph and D***ah in “Q”. She studies Bible with her whole heart and has given her future and marriage to God in faith. May God continue to bless her to live as a holy woman of God in the Middle East, and to cowork with our house ch**ch ministry there as an indispensible member.

There is much to say about God’s work in the Middle East especially under the care and directorship of J***ph and D***rah who have opened their home to serve the flock of God, and whose house ch**ch ministry is exemplary among our coworkers in the middle east. We witnessed their unending service to the flock of God. We witnessed their pure love for the Lord. We witnessed their prayers being answered in every way. The Mid East Easter Bible school was indeed God’s hand of blessing and vision that one day the Mid-East will overflow with those who have accepted Jesus as their personal savior, and who are willing to share their faith even in a most difficult place in the world. Please continue to p**y for the Middle East m**sions. We have a vision that God would soon pioneer the whole Middle east through those who have a heart to serve our Mo**em friends with the Gospel of life. God bless you.