Recently, we went around our neighborhood passing out invitations to the children’s services that we were having. We knocked on one door and an elderly Chinese couple answered. They could not speak any English, so the lady took us to her neighbor, another Chinese lady that could speak a little English. Even though they were older we still invited them to come and gave them some tracts in Chinese. They did not come, so Reitha took them some cupcakes that were left over from the service. The lady invited here in, and she had an opportunity to witness to her. We found out that she is Buddhist. She said as a child she had heard about Jesus and the Book. The way she talked, her husband is not Buddhist and does not believe in anything. She said she is 83 and her husband is 90. She has been in Buddhism so many years and said that she cannot change. Reitha told her, “yes you can.” We are continuing to reach out to them and are hoping to give them a Chinese New Testament.
Housing is very dense here in Auckland, as you can see from this picture. There are 7 houses on our driveway. Our neighbors come from different places and different religious backgrounds, Christian, Hindu, Catholic, and Jehovah’s Witness. As Christmas is approaching, we are planning on having our neighbors over and using this opportunity to share with them the reason that Jesus came to this earth.
The Muslim population here in New Zealand is growing. When we are out, we often run in to them. We have had several opportunities to give them tracts. We are praying that God will reveal to them that Jesus is the Messiah, even in a dream.
Sometimes we think our responsibility is just to tell the sinner about Christ once, so that their blood is not on our hands. However, our ultimate goal should be to see them come to Christ as their personal Savior! We need to use the opportunities God gives us to continue sharing the truth of Christ with them. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Please join with us in prayer that eyes would be opened and that the light of the Gospel would illuminate hearts and minds and many souls will be saved here in New Zealand.