Long before the discovery of massive oil reserves, the countries of the Arab Gulf were famous for pearls. Over the generations, pearl divers in present-day Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates refined their ancient profession. And until oil flooded their shores with wealth, many Arab Gulf families eked […]
The One to Whom I Belong
We were supposed to meet that morning. Shahla was often late, so I sat waiting in the cafe. But when I saw her driving by in a frenzy, passing cars recklessly, I picked up my phone and called her. “Shahla, what’s going on? Are you alright? I just saw you […]
Our Slowly Unfolding Story
Our slowly unfolding story has finally blossomed into an opportunity that almost seems too good to be true. We are going to the field. This summer, we will be in the land that God has called us to—the land of our hearts. Heading into this adventure, we see that God […]
The 5 Pillars of Islam
At the core of Islamic practice stand the five pillars of Islam: the profession of faith, ritual prayer, alms-giving, fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims from every culture and country observe these religious requirements. But performing these obligations will never fulfill their need for a savior. These five pillars, […]
Reading the Bible for the First Time
“This is so good that I didn’t go to work today,” said my neighbor Amadou. He held up a copy of the book of Genesis in the language of his people. “I’ve been reading it since I woke up this morning. I can’t put it down!” Then Amadou continued, “Did […]
The Hard Moments of Being Single on the Field
I cried in front of my language helper, Sufiya, last week. She asked me why I am not married. It wasn’t the first time she had brought it up. But this time, Sufiya said she and her husband had been talking. And they agreed that it isn’t good that I […]
Where There Were None
Sadia stood on the bank of the river, lined up next to eight other Muslim-background men and women. A nervous joy bubbled in her chest, threatening to overwhelm her with tears. “Have you decided to follow Jesus and Him only?” asked Farid, a believer who belongs to the same Muslim […]
Until the Rain Comes
It doesn’t rain much in the Sahara. But when it does, you can hardly believe what happens. I’ve only seen it happen twice in my time living here in the desert. My home in the Sahara is a far cry from Middle America where 30 years ago, my church began […]
Muslims and Gentiles
Husam is a Muslim-background believer and one of our team’s closest national partners. As a result of our partnership, several groups of Muslims have started studying God’s Word. Those groups are multiplying as people discover Jesus Christ, grow as His disciples, and become trained as house church leaders. In monthly […]
A Man of Peace Opens the Door for the Gospel
In a remote, unstable area of the Caucasus—a mountainous region between Eastern Europe and Asia—live a Muslim people group called the Khalysh*. Visas are hard to come by in their country, and outsiders can’t travel freely. For decades, this has hindered efforts to reach the Khalysh with the Gospel. But […]