Samira has spent most of her life in a small Muslim town. She’s a village woman—someone others might look at and say, “She’s not educated; she doesn’t really know anything.” She hasn’t seen much of anything in the world.

And yet, God has given Samira the eyes to see Jesus.

I first met Samira at a wedding when I was new in the country. She came up to me and peppered me with questions.

“Wait, I don’t understand,” I said to her. “Slow down.”

One of my friends came over to help translate our first conversation into a trade language that I knew better at the time.

Samira was curious about a lot of things. As my understanding of her language grew, I started sharing more about Jesus. She loved the stories I told her.

Samira was astounded by the compassion she saw my husband and I show others. Seeing how we stopped and prayed for people, she asked why we were so kind. “It’s because of Jesus,” I told her. “He’s the one who teaches us to show mercy to others.”

Then, one day, Samira asked, “Can only certain people follow Jesus?”

“No, Jesus is for everybody!” I said. “Everyone can pray in Jesus’ name.”

For some time, I tried doing Bible studies with Samira. But one thing after another kept getting in the way. Samira would be in another village, or she’d have visitors, or her children would be screaming, or my child would be screaming. Whenever I suggested we set a time to study the Word together, she seemed confused. In this culture, people don’t have schedules—things simply happen when a friend shows up at the door.

Then we received finished recordings of Luke and Acts in Samira’s language. I gave them to her on a solar-powered audio player. A week later, she told me, “I’ve been listening to this non-stop. This is really good news! Jesus is wonderful!” She kept on saying it in different ways. “Jesus is so big, He is so great! This is such good news.” In one week, she had listened to all of Luke and Acts four or five times. She made every woman and child who came into her house listen to it with her. Shortly after that, she committed to follow Christ with her whole heart.

Since then, Samira has felt burdened to share the Gospel with people in other villages.

“We need to go to this village and talk with them because they haven’t heard about Jesus yet,” she often says to me. Praise God for giving her a heart for Jesus and eyes to see Him.

One time, Samira convinced me to walk with her to a “nearby” village that still didn’t know about Jesus. Somehow, I thought it was only a half mile away. I had my six-month-old baby on my back and hadn’t brought any water.

It ended up being three miles away through sandy desert. Halfway there, some herders offered us a jug of brown water, which I couldn’t bring myself to drink. Fortunately, we came across a well to draw water from.

In all the villages we visit, Samira tells them about how great Jesus is. She gives out Luke and Acts on solar players whenever she can.

I think about all the women in these villages who’ve heard the Gospel and received solar players. for the first time, they have access to the Bible in their language. One woman who received a solar player said, “It’s my new best friend. I love listening to this!”

Of course, God works beyond my expectations. His plans are bigger than anything I could have planned. He knows what it will take to produce a movement of faith in Christ among Samira’s people, and He’s working through His humble servant Samira to draw families into His Kingdom. It’s an incredible thing to see. She’s hungry for the Gospel, and she shares everything she hears about Jesus with others.

Whenever Samira meets another believer, she asks them, “What news do you have for me? What can you tell me about Jesus that I haven’t heard yet?” She can’t get enough of Him.

The work God is doing in and through Samira is so much bigger than anything I could have planned! Pray that she continues to grow in her love and understanding of Jesus—and that she will introduce many to the Good News of the Kingdom.

**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names have been changed for security.**

Original article: https://frontiersusa.org/blog/samira-a-story-from-worthy-of-following/