As soon as I realized I had no way of contacting anyone, I knew everyone would be worried. After a brief trip out of the country, it was clear I was being detained. I didn’t know for how long. I didn’t know what the customs officials would do. My mind raced as I was escorted to a holding room where seven other detainees glanced up as I entered.
But I shouldn’t have been concerned; God was giving me a Paul experience! I had the amazing privilege of sharing Jesus Christ in “prison!”
Our Bible lessons together started strangely enough. All seven were smoking. Someone asked me if I wanted to smoke. “No,” I answered easily. I decided to explain. “If someone hangs himself, will he get salvation?” Of course, in their belief system I knew their answer was would be an emphatic No! I began describing how smoking is a slow way that people take their own lives. Seven men looked over at me, their eyes wide. We began talking about salvation. They wanted to know more. For most of the next 15 hours we talked.
Those were amazing Bible studies together, with their endless questions and answers as simple as I knew to give. I’m sure we could have continued for days. Fifteen hours later, as I was being released, I realized that the eight of us didn’t want to separate. They have each begun a journey. I really wanted to take it with them. But I trust God to answer a very specific prayer: That the Holy Spirit will send someone ready to share more about Jesus with each of them!
–A Waldensian Student