Pastor Sal knew about the rule; it made his work difficult. He saw and experienced firsthand the people’s hard hearts toward the message of hope and redemption he longed to share. So every day he prayed and then went out to serve his neighbors, carrying his Bible along with him.
He eventually became friends with the village chief and youth leaders of the village. They watched how Pastor Sal interacted with the people and set a good example of how to live among the alcoholics. They saw how his lifestyle was making an impact on the villagers and wondered how he didn’t succumb to the vices that had taken hold of the majority.
“What made you to be like this?” the village leader, Amlan, asked Pastor Sal. “You never drink alcohol or speak against others, but you always read this book,” he said, referring to Sal’s Bible.
“Once I was like you,” Pastor Sal replied. “But when I received my God, I gave up every unwanted thing and started living a new life in Him. When I read the Word of God, it helps me to grow closer to Him. The more I read, the more I understand the sweetness of His Word.”
Amlan then asked him about the Word of God and what was written in the Bible, so Pastor Sal told him about Jesus Christ and why He sacrificed His life on the cross.
From that day on, Sal saw God answering his early morning prayers, starting with the village leader. Through Pastor Sal’s faithful witness, Amlan came to know the goodness of Jesus and decided to embrace His love. He began accompanying Sal about town, and eventually, one believer became 15.
Now, Pastor Sal has a small fellowship where he can freely share the message of Jesus Christ without worrying about being chased out of the village.
