One morning I woke up discouraged. I just didn’t know where to go to find Muslim women who were open to hearing the good news. I pitifully asked the Lord, “Please send someone my way.”

That same day two women appeared at our gate. I’d never met Surayo and Halima before and I soon discovered they were sisters who’d been directed to me by a trader in the local bazaar. He’d apparently told them I could help them with their problems.

As we sat in our living room they soon began telling me all about their debts, illnesses and deaths in the family. They were convinced that their fortunes had been ‘bound’ by someone who was opposed to their family. Curses such as this are a common belief here.

It quickly became apparent that in their eyes I was some kind of fortune teller until I assured them I’m just a simple person who believes in the one true God. Yet they still wanted my help. “Can you free us and turn our fortunes around?” they asked.

As I silently prayed, an idea came to me. I pointed to a poster of the Lord’s Prayer on our wall and declared, “Only God can bring blessing into our lives.” After reading the prayer together I asked, “Did you notice anything that might block God’s blessings?”

Surayo, the older of the two, responded tentatively. “Sin and unforgiveness?”

I was impressed! “Would you like to be free and receive God’s blessing? We can pray and ask God to show you if there is any sin and unforgiveness in your life. Then we’ll be quiet and see what comes to mind.”

After praying I asked, “Has God shown you anything?”

Surayo immediately began to tell me openly about her unforgiveness toward a man who had hurt her and her family. “I want to forgive and ask God for forgiveness.” She continued pouring out her heart about the pain and bitterness she had been holding. She asked if she could come back every morning for prayer.

How could I refuse the women God had sent to me in answer to my own prayers!? In a further visit she insisted I tell the story about a painting on our wall. It was an image of a wealthy, turbaned old man hugging his rag-clothed son who had just come home. She loved this story of Jesus and it was wonderful to hear her exclaim, “Others need to hear this! I want to tell my sister and her family.”

As her visits continued Surayo was convicted about others she needed to forgive and we began to regularly read the Bible together. She responded to almost every story with repentance and obedience.

When she first heard that God wanted to give us his Holy Spirit, she asked to receive Him. Surayo also told the Lord that she wanted to take up her cross and follow Him.

From November until March, we continued with stories from creation to Christ. I gave her printed copies of the scripture texts and modelled how to help others discover God’s word by asking simple but powerful questions.

As the months went by the Bible stories began to travel through her network of work colleagues, family members and neighbours. The word of God was beginning to spread through the community. How encouraging it was to hear her testify,

“When I first came to you, my heart was full of darkness. Now there is light.”

I remembered that first morning, asking the Lord in desperation to send me someone who was open to hearing the good news and pass it on to others. He answered in more ways than I could have imagined!

Alexandra in Central Asia