The cost of following Jesus became very real for H* after he refused to bow to the idols.
H* is the only believer in his family.
He cannot read, but he listens to Scripture on an audio Bible in his heart language. It continues to shape his faith with every story he hears. Through listening, he has grown in his understanding of who God is and what it means to whole-heartedly follow Jesus.
Recently, H*’s faith was tested. After the death of his father, his family planned a gathering centered on worship to idols and ‘local deities.’ As expectations and pressure mounted, he was asked to participate. Grieving and surrounded by tension, he made a difficult choice. He quietly refused to participate and instead invited church leaders to lead prayer and worship to Jesus.
H*’s decision was met with anger, and his family ultimately cut him off. Despite this painful and deeply personal development, he remains faithful to Christ. Each day, he continues to listen to Scripture, drawing strength and guidance from God’s Word as he follows Jesus in the face of rejection.
His story is not isolated. Across Greater South Asia, our Gospel Partner A* reports that other family groups have chosen to leave idol worship and follow Christ, even when that choice brings social rejection and pressure from their communities. Despite these challenges, they continue to gather with their families, sitting close to listen and share Bible stories, passing them along from person to person, and from one generation to their children and grandchildren.
We praise God for the courage and perseverance of believers like H*, and we invite you to join us in prayer. Please pray for strength, protection, and continued faithfulness. Pray also that God would open doors for encouragement, reconciliation, and peace within families as they grow in Christ.
Thank you for standing with them. Because of your prayer and support, God’s Word continues to sustain believers who are choosing to follow Jesus, no matter the cost! Thank you for helping equip these followers of Jesus to share His Word, and make other disciples, even in difficult contexts.
