serve Christ. The first thing they did was to borrow money for a sewing machine. It was necessary for business. It was not an elabor ate electric sewing machine, either, but one of the hand crank varie ties. Those remote villages have no electricity. The couple had a vision of something to do for Jesus Christ. They moved about 20 miles up the valley to a small town. There were no Christians there and, of course, there was no church. In the day time they made clothes in the make-shift tailor shop, and in the evening they gathered the neigh bors and friends together for Bible study. The people had never heard this before and were fascinated. During the daytime the wife op ened a school in which neighbor hood children could come and learn the rudiments of reading. By the means of pictures and flannel- graphs she taught the boys and girls about the life of Christ. Before long these little children were go ing home singing the songs of the Lord. After about 5 months of this, the man went back to the city from which he had come and asked the local pastor if he could please come out and arrange a baptism service. He reported that there were near ly 200 people who were ready to become Christians. The pastor was amazed. He knew there had not been any missionary in that area. The tailor gave his simple testi mony, and before long 150 were baptized. A church was then formed. A pastor was brought in to take over the work, and the young couple who had started the work heard Cod's call to another min istry. They picked up their little sewing machine and went on to
another village still 18 more miles away. The same process was started all over. Within four month's time he had to go back to the city to ask the pastor to come. Another 100 people were ready to become Christians. The couple moved three times to different communities, starting churches and seeing more than 600 people come to Christ! The strength of the church lies not in its program but in its Spirit-filled people. How important to see faith vis ible in action. A Hindu woman came to Christ in our part of the world through the witness of a friend. Her husband did not join her in the faith and her children were not Christians. They all fre quently gave her difficulty. She was asked, “When your husband is an gry and hits you, what do you do?" With a smile she replied, “Well, for one thing, I try to cook his food a little bit better than I ever did before. When he complains, I get to work and clean up the house and sweep the floor. I just try to make it the best possible home I can. When he speaks unkindly to me and even harshly, I never an swer him that way. I try to do it mildly and in love. I want him to know that when l became a Chris tian, I became a better woman and mother as well." Although her hus band had long resisted the preach ing of the local minister, he could not argue about the practical preaching of his wife. He, too, gave his heart to God. He had seen faith at work in the life of a believer. These younger churches can also teach us the lesson of forgiveness and a love for enemies who mis use us. Wherever God is working there may also be opposition. In Page 13
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