The Good News

With friends, we were on a Rhine riverboat from Basel, Switzerland toward Germany. There was a waiter who looked Egyptian. I greeted him in my native language, and he actually replied in Arabic in my dialect. We got to know each other a little, and I started talking about Jesus. He apologized very politely, however, and said that he didn’t have the time nor the interest. Of course, I accepted that, but I still said, “I’m here on the ship for two days; if you have any questions, I’m here for you.” I also asked him if I could give him a small booklet as a gift. He took it, but I had the feeling that he only accepted it out of politeness, since as a waiter, he had to remain friendly to the guests. That was in the evening.

In the morning, he went to my friend’s breakfast table and asked him to tell me that he absolutely had to speak with me, because he hadn’t been able to sleep all night. When I came to the table, my friend told me that the waiter had been there and really wanted to speak with me. He came, greeted me very kindly, and asked when I would have time for him. We agreed that we would meet on deck in the evening, after his shift, at 10:30 p.m.

We had a conversation for almost an hour and a half, during which he asked so many questions about life and eternity, and why one has to suffer here on earth. The Lord gave me peace and patience, so that I was able to answer all his questions with joy. Suddenly, tears streamed from his eyes. He said, “I am a bad person; I want to change.” I then talked to him about the “Four Spiritual Laws.” I asked him if he understood everything, and if he wanted to pray with me. He confirmed that he did. As we prayed, I was certain that he truly understood everything and had opened his heart to the Savior. I gave him a New Testament, and also our free book Why It Pays to Be a Christian [out of print in English]. Although it was already very late, he called his wife in Egypt, and I was allowed to pray with her on the phone as well. Since that day, he writes to me almost every other day with questions, and I answer him. I promised him that I would visit him during his vacation (he only has one month of vacation a year). Please pray for Brother R. and his wife and little daughter, that they may remain steadfast in the faith.

Dr. Elia Morise is an Egyptian who is a full-time missionary with Midnight Call Ministries International. The statement, “He could not sleep all night” is a sentence we often hear from those who work with Muslims. We take this opportunity to pray for Brother Morise intensely, as well as for all Midnight Call missionaries, along with offering our financial support. Here, 3rd John 7 is applicable: “Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.”

Yes, our Lord—who explicitly stated, “I will build my church”—continues to do so using many of His dedicated servants, who often go out of their way to share the wonderful, liberating Gospel; in this case, with Muslims.