Invited by a dead Muslim saint, or the Son of the Living God?

The music booms over the loudspeakers calling everyone to worship and prayer. The fragrances of jasmine and incense linger in the air as the women make their offerings at the darghas, the shrines of the Muslim saints. In South Asia, women regularly gather together to pray at these sites, which has provided some exciting opportunities for Christar missionaries Jodi* and Louise* to share the gospel. "Women love to chit chat, so given the choice of saying a rote prayer or talking to white ladies, the choice is obvious," said Jodi.

Moira* is just one of the women Jodi and Louise have reached out to at a dargah. She invited them back to her home, where they were able to share with her and where Moira explained that she goes to the tombs when the saints invite her. Jodi then told her about another invitation. She opened a Bible in Moira's language and read John 1:12 to her: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Only this time, the invitation was not to worship a dead saint, but to become a child of the living God.

(from Christar "Light to the Least Reached" prayer bulletin, May 2011)

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