Iranians in Diaspora #4: The Look and Sounds of Encouragement
The Look and Sounds of Encouragement
By Tom Boone, Associate Director for Mission
The Outreach Foundation is on a week-long visit with our Persian friends in Europe. Our first leg has taken us to The Netherlands where we have been visiting with Dariush and people within his ministry, Safehouse. This leg ends tonight as we fly to Germany to visit with a dear friend, Sargez, and his Persian-speaking congregation.
Eleven years ago, I took my first trip with The Outreach Foundation. Location: Basra, Iraq, one week following the departure of the British troops after Gulf War 2. That visit plus many subsequent ones have planted deeply what I had read in God’s Word: more than solving the problems of others, it is especially beneficial to bear the ministry of encouragement. Nothing says “encouragement” more than showing up.
I have enjoyed watching how well this team from GRACE Church Bethlehem has brought rich encouragement to their new friends who reluctantly live away from their homeland, often even from dear family members. This was captured in the conversation one of our team members had with a 12-year-old young woman. “Is your dad here?” we asked. “No, he is back home in Iran. I haven’t been able to see him for four years.” An embrace softened the heartache, at least for the moment.
Here’s another snippet with a 16-year-old young man. “Four years ago, we came here but my grandparents, all my friends, my cousins, and so many are back in Iran. I don’t think I will see them again unless the government changes.” A team member asked, “Why did you come?” The answer was typical of what we hear, “Jesus became our Lord and we had to leave.” That is expensive faith – shaking his hand was an honor.
Today Dariush invited each member of this team to record her or his testimony about how Jesus has been important in each of their lives. He will use these stories to encourage believers in Iran who cannot leave. Even wondering Muslims will hear their stories. At first each person was nervous – who wouldn’t be? – but after we prayed, the Holy Spirit took over. I remember when Marilyn Borst asked me to do something simple like serve communion to a group of believers who hadn’t had communion in over two years. As they shared their stories, I saw in this team that same “wow, this is what Paul was writing about – mutual encouragement.” Dariush blessed their long journeys of faith (one has been with the Lord for over 70 years). And because they showed up, Dariush will now take their stories, translate them into Persian, and they will bless so many Persian believers and even Muslims in Europe and in Iran. Thanks be to God!
