Missionaries were not welcomed by members of a small Russian village. They were set in their Buddhists ways and believed in various paths to God.
When East-West national partners boldly entered this village to proclaim the gospel and distribute Bibles, the spiritual darkness was instantly evident. At one home they passed, Tibetan prayers were posted on windows and walls and were recited 49 times each day over the dead in hopes that they would reincarnate to a higher caste.
The local believers knew it would be an act of God to see a single person come to faith in Christ, but they remained faithful to share the message.
Along the journey, these national partners met a 90-year-old woman who’d never heard the good news of Christ. She was open to hear the message, so they shared about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ … ending with the assurance of salvation and eternal life granted to all who believe in the gospel.
This message contrasted greatly with the Buddhist ways of reincarnation. She’d spent her life toiling in hopes of moving up the caste system, and still she wondered if her labor was enough.
As she considered this news, the Holy Spirit moved her to reconcile with God. The woman accepted Christ, prayed with the national partners, and received a copy of the New Testament in her language … proving it’s never too late for people to hear and believe in the gospel.