Samuel is a Global Mission pioneer in Egypt. I had asked if he would be willing to share stories about his ministry, and he had laughed nervously and replied that he couldn’t think of any at the moment.
“What about a story of answered prayer?” I probed.
Samuel nodded enthusiastically and smiled. For the next few minutes, he told me how he had grappled with God for years without sensing a response to his pleas. “I poured out my heart with bitter tears,” he said, “but nothing changed.” Sometimes Samuel’s faith was strong; sometimes it was weak. But he clung to Jesus just the same.
Eventually, Samuel received his request, but that was only the beginning of his story. “What I want to share is how this prayer experience transformed my relationship with God,” he said. “I believe more than ever that He is all powerful, but now I know with certainty that He is also good. He will never give me what is not best for me. No matter how He responds, I can trust His love and His plan.”
Samuel is using his hard-won trust to minister to people in his community who are discouraged or don’t believe in prayer. Most of them are desperately poor and face many challenges. Samuel helps provide for their physical needs, offers encouragement, prays for their concerns, and shares the promises of a loving and compassionate God.
He now sees his painful journey as a gift because he can empathize with those who are hurting. “There is no way I could have been a true missionary of God without going through that tough experience,” he says.
Samuel’s caring ministry has helped him plant a church that is steadily growing. He asked that you pray that the people in his community will come to trust God and the power of prayer and that he will continue to faithfully share the gospel.
You will find Samuel’s story, “The Secret’s Out,” on page eight of this magazine.