Fortunately, Pastor Kalap didn’t put too much stock in first impressions.
Instead of giving into intimidation, he began praying for his sick neighbors and sharing Christ’s love. And rather than getting stuck on the missionary’s stammer, the villagers focused on the God he represented.
Soon, the Lord established a small fellowship, which grew into a congregation in need of a building. Constructing a church, however, brought a new complication to the ministry.
Normally, Pastor Kalap spent his days out in the community, but since he began overseeing the church construction, he hardly had a moment to spare for ministry. He spent most of his time with the hired hands.
Four Men Who Needed the Money
Radhak, Sagun, Baasim and Nachiketa firmly believed in their traditional religion, but that didn’t keep them from working on the construction of a church building in a nearby village. They all needed the money and the local pastor was a kind boss.
When the men first started the job, Pastor Kalap had sometimes been eager to get away from the construction site and minister in the village, but soon, he began spending quality time with the workers.
If he couldn’t go into the community, Pastor Kalap realized, he could still share Jesus with the four men God had put in his life. He prayed for their problems and sicknesses, and as God answered, a desire to follow Christ grew in the men’s hearts.
Unfortunately, it was no secret what happened to people who made such a choice.
Pastor Kalap had faced harsh opposition for sharing his faith, and Radhak, Sagun, Baasim and Nachiketa knew they would be cast out of their families if they became Christians. They could only guess what the rest of society would do to them.
Understanding his friends’ conflict, Pastor Kalap faithfully continued to share about Jesus, and despite the crew’s fears, they finally decided Christ was worth the rejection they would face. All four embraced Him.
Standing Up to Opposition
Since they made their decision, some of the men have faced opposition and ridicule as they predicted, but just like their pastor friend, they are standing strong in their faith.
As simple construction workers, they aren’t what most people think of when asked to describe a group that will change lives, but they tell their families about Christ anyway. They pray that, soon, God will honor their faithful efforts, just as He honored Pastor Kalap’s.
