(The following is collected from true stories related to us by frontline mission workers.) In locations like India, Africa, Central and South Asia and beyond, mission workers often teach basic business and job training skills as a means of 1) improving the lives of the people they came to serve 2) teaching Christian business ethics 3) and, sharing the Gospel of Christ with workers and trainees when the opportunities arise. From offering small business loans, to teaching sewing skills, to help selling homegrown produce, to car repair, the local people, many of whom are very poor figure out pretty quickly that Christians are the “only ones helping us” in their communities. God is using this mode of missionary service in amazing ways!
One widow in Nigeria was growing and selling her vegetables when one of the missionaries gave her a Bible. While she couldn’t read it she found a close friend who could read it to her. It was then she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Suddenly this lady became ill and could no longer sell her produce to support her family. However, she kept listening to the Bible readings and started singing praise and worship songs. Family members offered to take her to a local witch-doctor, but she refused saying, “Jesus will heal me!” The Lord answered her prayers! And through her own miraculous healing many others came to know Jesus as Lord! This lady continues to tell others about Jesus, and it all started with one Bible given as a gift by a mission worker to a poor woman who needed help selling her produce.