NOTE: This is from a friend who is sharing faith in an Asian city.

Along with teaching I have been prayer walking in two parts of the city. About four months ago I felt the Holy Spirit prompting, ‘Why don’t you play cricket with those boys. Through them you can enter into their homes.’ I discovered they played cricket on Sunday evenings. I am now discovering this is a community on the lower end of society – with a major drug issue. I drive to this community that has all major world religions represented.

We do not have a proper place to play. Traffic and pedestrians pass right through our area of play. Our wicket is sometimes a ‘temple’ wall. I have been playing with two teams – one, 15-30 year olds; the other, 10-17 year olds. I have purchased tennis balls to help when a ball comes apart. Now for the last few weeks the children have been playing soccer. This we play on the edge of a large playground where soccer is played, but where there is not a blade of grass. I have connected to scores of children, youth, young adults and parents.

While I have not had the opportunity to play over the last two weeks, I got connected to a Mr M – a member of a major world religion and a retired volunteer football coach. Yesterday, finally, I was invited to his home. After weaving my way through several very narrow alleyways of house upon house, I came to his home – a tiny 5 metre by 2 metre shack built between the walls of other houses.

I was aghast. I am learning what incarnation, mission, contextualization, understanding poverty, other religions, communication, and humility is all about! Could this be the ‘man of peace’ I have been praying for (Luke 10)? His wife has had major surgery recently. They have a grown son and on rainy days his wife’s brother – who is called ‘the madman’ for they think he is mentally deranged – also sleeps in this shack. Four adults! I am not sure why they came to this status. They have running water, but no electricity. They served me a cup of tea!

The entire community respects this man or ‘Master’ as he is known, because he is their coach. I speak with him in our mother tongue – though some of the children of the community speak another language. Yesterday I shared the gospel, repeating it twice – and prayed before leaving. While the couple turned to pictures of their gods to pray (with a picture of Jesus included) – I prayed turning in another direction. Mr M has invited me to study the Scriptures with him. Pleae pray for wisdom and love and the Holy Spirit to draw him and his family to Himself. I am praying to start numerous discovery Bible studies in the neighborhood. Obviously the word will now go around that I do not just play cricket, but teach the Scriptures! Please pray for many disciples of Jesus to be raised among these people – and for much discernment!