Adjustments Beyond Language
We were visiting a Muslim family who had just brought out tea and sweets for us when I suddenly felt the cold air blowing in from the kitchen. The house's back door was wide open, and the daughter of the family and her younger brother were struggling to bring a couch into the house! I jumped up and went to help them. They were apologetic and said, "We saw that it was hard for you to sit on the floor cushions, so we decided to try to bring in the couch from the garage!"
The couch itself was huge, and it needed to be lifted and turned sideways to get through the narrow doorway, which they obviously could not do. I told them I was fine and we could put the couch back in the garage, as it would be pretty difficult to get it through the door. "No, no, no," they insisted. "We will do it." But after trying again unsuccessfully, they finally half-carried/half-dragged the couch back to the garage.
When we were all seated on the floor cushions again, the daughter said, "We are sorry, but we tried the American couch and furniture thing for a year, but my mother never agreed to use it. She always sat on the floor. It was very awkward for us to sit on the couch and chairs and for her to sit on the floor. So, we recently decided to take out all the American furniture so we could sit together on the floor." I could hear a bit of frustration in her voice over her mother's unwillingness to sit on an American couch versus sitting on the floor. But I could also see her tender heart, wanting to be sensitive to her mother, leading to removing the furniture that separated them.
Patience in Letting Go
This experience reminded me that the challenges of refugees settling into a new country and culture are not just limited to language; they also include very basic things like how and where we sit! Some people are early adopters and catch on to language and cultural things, while others take much longer. I think it is also the same for matters of faith. Some people want to cling to what is familiar and what they have always known. Others are more willing to learn and be challenged to look beyond the walls built around them.
We must be patient and willing to take the time necessary for them to come to where they are open to learning about the good news. Are there needless hurdles—like American couches—that we can remove? We must be in prayer, asking the Lord of the harvest to warm their hearts and open their minds to hear the message of hope, redemption, and peace. We need to pray that they enter into a personal relationship with the Creator of the heavens—a relationship founded not on what they have done or achieved but solely on what he has done for us.
For most of us, including Muslims, it takes time to let go of the past. Will you be a friend to those going through this process this new year? Will you introduce them to the One who can heal their hurts and restore hope to their lives? If you still need to make your New Year's resolutions, please consider making this one of them. Are you willing to be a friend and visit a Muslim refugee or neighbor at least once a month this year? Are you open to sharing the gospel through that friendship as the Lord leads in 2024?
We asked how we could pray for this family at the end of our visit. The oldest daughter was the first to speak and requested prayers for the health of her widowed mother. Would you join us in praying for her? She is suffering from a variety of physical ailments, and it is weighing heavily on the hearts of all the children. Perhaps God will use a miracle to open this family's hearts to himself. Before we left, we prayed for the mother and other requests they brought up. We also thanked God for blessing Christmas, where he gave the greatest gift ever, Emmanuel—God with us.
Pray for the 10/10 Prayer Initiative
Join us with Christians worldwide in praying for 10% of the Muslim world to come to Christ in 10 years. It is truly a miraculous ask, but it is not too big of an ask of our God and King! May we be faithful in prayer for this needy group of lost souls? We have committed to praying for the 10/10 Prayer initiative on the first Friday of every month. You are also welcome (and encouraged) to pray on any given day!
Prayer Requests
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
