At each stop along the line the bus seemed to linger three times as long as usual. My brain was fried from my language lesson, a headache was building, and I could barely stay awake as we stop by stop made the hour-long journey back to my area of the city. I attempted to curl over my belongings and doze for a few minutes in an attempt to revive myself before my dinner appointment with some new Asian friends we met last week.

“God, I am wiped out. You said in my weakness you would be strong—so I’m assuming you’re going to be pretty strong in this meeting, because I just don’t have anything tonight,” I muttered in my mind as I walked against the flow of hundreds of students as the flowed off of campus to eat dinner at various local shops.

“You are a Christian, yes? I have been wanting to ask this question, do you think that God created the earth?”

Less than 30 minutes later the reality of the opportunity to share about my faith floods my mind, and adrenaline starts to flow. I start with Adam and Eve, and encouraged by the girls on either side leaning in to catch each detail, I share the entire gospel over the course of our dinner. Caroline on my left, is hanging on every word. You can read the heaviness on her face as I describe the heartbreak of the first sin and our separation from God. As I describe Jesus’ death as he paid our debt her eyes moisten. My heart is pounding as I describe his return to life, and a smile breaks across her face. “Ooh,” softly escapes her lips as I tell her that now we are able to once again be in close relationship with God if we will choose to believe in Him.

I had heard the stories, but now I have lived it. The people here are hungry for truth. Please pray for my friends as we continue to share truth and hope with them.

Their names* are: Tina, Nancy, Caroline, Sally, June, Leah, Elaine, Casey, Shining, Kayla, Jubilee, and Sheny. And also the “sisters” who believed last year: Nancy, Julie, Ling, and NumberTwo.

Please also pray for me, as my asthma has been aggravated by a cold and the air here.

Thank you so much for your “thoughts,”
Marian

*Actual names not given for security reasons.