From Pigs to Pioneer

In the church where I grew up, we often celebrated holidays by killing several pigs and eating them.

Asha Dukpa, 37, is a Global Mission pioneer.

 

In the church where I grew up, we often celebrated holidays by killing several pigs and eating them. We danced around the pigs’ heads, and our pastor made alcohol and drank it. When I became an adult, I also made alcohol and sold it. 

I now have four children. When my oldest was 9, he attended a little Adventist school— the only school in our area. One day my son came home with some literature about the Sabbath. I read and reread it and felt a strong desire to learn more about this Sabbath. I had never heard about it.

My son continued bringing other pamphlets home. I became more and more interested in what he was learning, so I decided to visit the teacher and ask questions. The teacher happily agreed to give me Bible studies. When he came to my house, my husband and children met with him as well. We studied together twice, and then were invited to meet with the pastor. After studying the Bible with the pastor, my husband and I and four other relatives were all baptized into the Adventist Church. 

We came home and started visiting our neighbors, telling them about the Sabbath and other truths we had learned. Several were interested in knowing more, so my husband and I held evangelistic meetings in our little village. Eight more people were baptized. This was just six months after our own baptism.

My husband and I have worked together as Global Mission pioneers, and in the past 10 years we’ve established five Adventist congregations. We make friends with someone or go to people we know and start with them. We don’t go to a strange village where we know no one. We go to a place where we have a relative or a longtime friend, and share the message with that person or family, and then from there we share the message with their friends and families. In this manner we have baptized 65 people. 

I met Namgey while walking to visit another family. He was smoking, and when he saw me, he threw away his cigarette. I asked him why he smoked, and he said that he had some family matters troubling him. His father is always sick, and Namgey spends a lot of money on his father’s care and making sacrifices to gods, hoping that his father will get better. “When I worry, I smoke more,” he said.

“Do your cigarettes bring you peace of mind?” I asked. He agreed that they didn’t. “I can tell you of One who can bring you peace of mind, if you want to know.” He asked me to come to his home that evening. So I went, met his family, and began telling them about Jesus. I noticed that his house was filled with pictures of various Hindu gods and Buddha. I told him that Jesus was the only true God, and that these gods couldn’t give peace. His wife argued, “Do you think our gods can’t give us peace? I’ve not heard of the God you’re telling us about.”

I pointed out that they had tried all these gods, but they hadn’t helped. If you’ll try praying to Jesus, I told them, you will find peace and help. “But you can’t waver between gods and God. You must make a decision.” I challenged them to get rid of their gods and pray only to Jesus, and gave them a New Testament. 

Three days later I visited this family. The husband was much happier, and his father was getting better. The man’s wife asked for Bible studies, so I stayed with them for four days. When we had evangelistic meetings, they came, studied, and were baptized.

Namgey’s younger brother, Jigmi, had a gambling problem. He found work in a factory where my son, Stephen, works. Stephen told him about Jesus. Later, I met Jigmi and gave him Bible studies. In time he was converted. He has reconciled with his family, and because of his testimony, the brothers’ parents are planning to be baptized. 

I am so happy to work for the Lord. I used to make alcohol and sell it to people, but now I share the love of Jesus with them all.

Your weekly mission offerings help support Global Mission pioneers who bring hope to those who do not yet know Jesus. Thank you for supporting this vital work through your regular mission offerings.