“I’m pretty nervous,” Henry said as he shook hands with Sonic, Sanka, and I before we headed off campus for lunch.
Our team spent last week in C-town, which gave us the opportunity to do campus ministry in a different city and also connect with our team of long-term workers there. Sanka met Henry a few days before and got his contact info so we could get together for lunch later in the week.
Henry is a quiet guy, but over some delicious dishes including frog legs and rabbit, he began to open up and we got to know him better.
We were able to easily transition into talking about our faith. Henry shared that his dad’s coworker was a believer. Henry knew who Jesus was and had even read portions of the New Testament.
After sharing the full story of Jesus and how Henry could begin a relationship with Him, Henry simply said, “Surely I want this.” Before we prayed with him, I made sure he knew what this would mean, explaining life would not always be easy but that he could always talk to God about anything.
Sanka prayed with him to start a relationship with God and afterward, I could see a visible change in his countenance. Without any of us prompting him, Henry declared, “Today is my birthday! Today is the day God walked into my life.” What a genuine statement from your new brother!
A few days later, we got to hang out with Henry again and ended our fellowship time by taking him out for dinner. Before we began eating, he looked at me and said, “Shouldn’t we pray before we eat?” I urged him to try praying. He prayed, “Thank you for friends. Thank you for the food. Oh I don’t know what else to say. Oh! Thank you that God is in my life now.”
I am sad to leave Henry behind in C-town, but I am excited because our new brother is connected to our friends there. I have all confidence in God that Henry will be a great evangelist someday.