My team and I were able to meet up with an organization called, CRU, campus crusade. We met with Joe* last Sunday to learn about his ministry and how we would be able to come alongside him and help serve. He told us he is from Iran and the first Christian out of his family. After sharing his heart for Persians and evangelizing, Joe showed us booklets and bracelets he uses to share the Gospel with them. Later in the meeting, he taught us some Persian, different phrases like hello and how are you. From there we planned a time to meet up with him to help with his ministry and we were all excited to learn to hit the streets.
Later in the week, we were able to meet up with Joe and his family. We split into two groups and one group went to the mall, while my group and I went to one of the sightseeing spots here in Yerevan.His daughter was with our group to help translate and another one of his friends joined. My group started with prayer and made our way up the stairs, stopping at every break to see if we would find people to talk to. Joe told us we would go to the top and back down after we would make our way to the park. During this time we were able to learn more about Joe, his daughter, and his friend. His friend worked with YoungLife and his daughter is 19 studying English and communications.
Karis and I hung out with his daughter while we were walking around. It was sweet to be able to pour into her while doing ministry with them.
While we were walking around the park Joe stopped a Persian couple and shared the Gospel with them. Part of my team and his daughter started praying for their encounter. We call this interceding for them, we step in the gap and ask for the Lord to be in that space with them. Unfortunately, the couple had to leave but he gave them the bracelet and book and we made our way to the center. Here Joe noticed a Persian man and went to go talk to him. We all sat down and again started interceding. He came back to tell us right as the man was getting ready to accept Christ, his family came and he had to leave.
While Joe and his friend talked with different people we would sit close by but out of sight (so it wouldn’t overwhelm the person they were talking to) and pray for their hearts to be open to the Gospel.
It is challenging to share the Gospel when you don’t know the other language so our time with Joe was a great reminder of how important intercessory is. I walked the center and prayed for his encounters with everyone he met and the others stayed and prayed. I’m not going to lie to you, there were times we felt like we wanted to do more. Sometimes sitting or walking in prayer doesn’t seem like you’re doing much, but it’s a big deal to stand in place for someone and pray on their behalf.
After an hour or so with Joe, we met up with the other half of our group and moved to the park. Here we prayed for Joe while he met with people and we split up and started meeting with other people.
As Joe was meeting with Persians we went out to also evangelise and meet others.
In total Joe was able to meet with 3 different groups of people. We were reminded how important interceding is and how it might seem like we’re not doing anything but without our prayers, their hearts could have been hard. Or the enemy could have been and most likely was fighting on the other side. Prayer can be undermined in the church and sometimes it takes us being humbled and laying our wants down to learn that ministry is also just praying.
Please pray for Joe and his family as they minister to Persians in Armenia. I encourage you to also start interceding for friends and family who might not have their own relationship with the Lord.
* I have changed names for safety purposes
