Chris & Wendy DeLong

Pray for the following students:

Priyam is a PFW student from India that comes from a Hindu family. I met him while out knocking on doors in an apartment complex where a lot of students live. As I initiated conversation with him in his doorway I inquired where he is at in his spiritual life. After a few minutes of conversation, he invited me inside to continue talking. He first offered me something to drink, and later offered me something to eat. He shared with me the food that he had just prepared for his lunch prior to my arrival; in which he gave me a larger portion of what he had to offer. (This is in line with the way hospitality is practiced in many countries around the world.) We sat on his balcony for the next 1 ½ hours talking. I listened to him share about his spiritual life / thinking, and the guru he follows. Afterwards I shared my testimony and then the gospel, starting at creation and ending at the judgement, with him. He had never heard the Gospel before, or heard of a “worldview” the way I shared, according to the scriptures. We exchanged phone numbers and we have been in touch by text following that initial conversation. I indicated I would love to carry on the conversation in the future if he is interested. He knows that I was intentionally out engaging people with the Good News of Jesus, because of my obedience to Jesus saying “go and make disciples”, so he knows that any follow up conversation afterwards would flow along these lines of communication as well. He has not yet made time for that as he has moved apartments and is trying to find summer employment in line with his major. He has though initiated asking for my advice as it has to do with American things so I know there is enough trust there for him to initiate reaching out to me like that. Would you pray that the Lord would build a desire in him to carry on that initial conversation and we would meet us as a result?

Ali is a Muslim guy from Pakistan (not a student, but an immigrant who is now a U.S. citizen) that I met during a retail transaction a couple days ago. I struck up a conversation with him that carried on for perhaps 20 minutes until another customer walked up and needed his attention. Upon indicating that I would say goodbye for now so he could take care of this other customer he gave me a warm handshake and said he’d like to talk some more. I said I would return a different day and we could continue our conversation. Would you pray that I would be sensitive to the Lord’s leading of when to revisit him and carry on the conversation we started? In the meantime, would you pray that the Lord would work in his heart and mind to soften him to the Gospel so he wants to explore more about who Jesus is; beyond the limited view that Muslims have of Jesus as a prophet?

Prem is a PFW student from India, that I also met him while out knocking on doors in an apartment complex where a lot of students live. As I initiated conversation with him in his doorway and I offered to pray for any pressing needs, because I am a follower of Jesus, and I know that Jesus answers prayer. He said he said he didn’t have pressing needs right now though. So, I continued with my inquiry and asked where he was at in his spiritual life. At this point he invited me inside to continue the conversation. He stated that he was a Christian. I asked him for how long and what the short story of how he became a believer in Jesus was. His short story was that he was born into a believing family in India. I asked what life was like for him as an international student in Fort Wayne because most Indian students are Hindu. I also asked where he gathered for fellowship with other believers? He said life is hard at times and he mainly keeps to himself, and he does attend any fellowship, or have any other believers to connect with. He just reads his Bible and prays by himself. I said I would really enjoy meeting up with him, to open up the Bible and read it together and talk about what it means and how to live it out; if he’d be interested. At first, he said he was too busy; but I know that’s not an acceptable answer to God so I prayerfully shared how God designed us as believers to be part of a body of believers so we could help one another follow Jesus well, and to grow in maturity. That connection ought to be relational, not organizational, so I’d love to connect with him so we could learn together to follow Jesus better. In my efforts to nudge him out of his complacency I told him I’d buy him a cup of coffee or tea or whatever he chooses if he’d be willing to meet up. I could do it around his schedule and at a place of his convenience (e.g. coffee shop etc.). He said, ok. He’d be willing to do that so we exchanged phone numbers and I said I’d touch base soon so we could schedule something. I wasn’t sure he actually meant he was willing to meet up or he was just telling me what I wanted to hear but he’s a quiet shy guy so I’ll take that as a start. So far, I text him a couple times, I’ve heard back from him twice. (The second time literally as I was typing this.) Would you pray that the Lord would build a desire in him to carry on that initial conversation and we would meet us as a result?