Abdul let the front door of the apartment swing shut behind him and headed to the pantry for a snack. Although he’d spent the last two hours at a restaurant, his animated conversation about baptism with his friend Daoud had been more interesting than anything on the menu. Abdul had […]
Good Fruit
I clearly recall the first time I invited a neighbor to my house to study the Bible with me. We had just moved to a new village, and I wanted desperately to share the Good News. My heart pounded as I hurried to answer the door when Hoda arrived. I’d […]
A Marvelous Reality
In a swirl of colorful wraparound skirts, Fatou bustled in and out of her tidy mudbrick home, preparing dinner on her outdoor cookfire. The fragrance of rice, beans, and hot greens filled the house as she brought in heaping dishes, offered me a bottle of soda, and sat down across […]
A Child of Hope
Abdul tried to steady his trembling hands as he slumped to the dirty curb and dialed the only local number on his phone. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning the urban Middle Eastern street in the deepening twilight. Two men walked together on the far side of the road, […]
In Light of Eternity
Being a third culture kid (TCK) in Southeast Asia can be challenging—particularly when it comes to learning the local language. It was a struggle for me, and sometimes I fought the process. Then I started meeting with our language nurturer Kru Siriwan. No matter how frustrated I got, she patiently […]
Only Possible with Jesus
Neima sat up in bed, gasping. For a moment, confusion clouded her mind. Shafts of moonlight illuminated a cramped and lonely apartment—not the bedroom she and her siblings shared. As the cobwebs of sleep slipped from her mind, Neima remembered that she was not home. She was alone in the […]
Healed Without Surgery
Mira couldn’t muster a smile as Stephanie and Lucas, Frontiers field workers, arrived at her family’s home for their weekly Bible study. Stephanie seemed to sense her stress and leaned in to ask, “How’s your father?” Tears welled up in Mira’s eyes. Her father, who had been in a car […]
In the Right Place at the Right Time
I sat on the frayed rug covering cracked concrete, thankful for the sea breeze that gave my friend Rebekah and me a small reprieve from the Arabian peninsula’s dry heat. This was my first trip overseas since committing to long-term service with Frontiers, a short visit to learn about and […]
Ugali: Recipe for East African Porridge
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, thick porridges are common fare at home and in restaurants. In Swahili-speaking countries, this food is called ugali and is made from either corn or cassava. Most families place a rounded dish of ugali in the center of the table or floor and pinch off pieces to […]
Reuniting a Refugee’s Family
My children and I stood in the shade of a tree that shielded us from the hot African sun while my husband, Kevin, talked with a man at the local market where we bought fruits and vegetables. “Where are you from?” the vendor asked in English. “America,” Kevin said. “How […]