A couple of months ago, we took the first Quest Team to North Africa.
This was a pilot project where we sent an Arabic speaking team to share Christ among migrants and refugees.
Here’s a short update on this trip from the team, with testimonies from Hiba (not her real name) from Tunisia.
Good news for refugees
Hiba and other workers who went on this trip had plenty of opportunities to share their testimonies with refugees from other faiths, both one-to-one and in group situations like the Sunday church service.
"It was remarkable to see over 40 refugees from Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, listening attentively as they heard a testimony of salvation and hope spoken in their own heart language of Arabic".
On another occasion, our Quest Team hosted a movie night where we showed some pre-evangelistic movies with thought-provoking themes.
These were well-received by the refugees who came, and the Arabic-speaking team members had a great time answering their questions.
Ministering God’s love to those who are hurting
One evening a group of young Syrian refugees we had got to know brought with them a man who had just learned that his 13-year-old daughter had died in Libya. He was grief-stricken and likely in shock.
The Syrians wanted to bring him to our mission centre because they viewed it as ‘a good place’, ‘a loving community’ where this grief-stricken father might receive help and encouragement.
It was heart-breaking to hear the story of his daughter, but at the same time heart-warming that our team was able to minister to him in Arabic.
At the end of the evening the whole team gathered around the Syrian refugees. They laid hands on them and prayed!
It was an incredible moment of peace and an expression of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Meeting local people in their homes
During our week in North Africa we made several home visits to local people from other faiths who lived in the city close to the centre where we stayed. This was an excellent cross-cultural learning experience for our first Quest Team members as we drank tea, ate local foods, and shared conversations together.
Although the Arabic language spoken was understandable to Hiba and the team, it was most certainly a new culture for them to experience. Several opportunities emerged for them to speak about their hope in Jesus Christ and to pray for the people they met.
A big thank you to supporters like you!
If you have already given to our appeal for sending more Quest Teams on mission trips – thank you so much for your generosity and kindness.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to give, please support our Quest Teams by sending a gift online.