Algerian believer Arabe tells this story: “Compassion for my village was the beginning of my ministry. But after a short while, I felt more drawn to the regions beyond. Whenever I pick up my bag to go out on evangelism, I experience great joy. I have rediscovered myself through doing what I do now.

“When I was young, my father's job was to sell purses, bags, wallets and other leather goods made in a nearby town. Without knowing why, I felt something special for this town. Now that I know the Lord, I understand that what I felt then was a strong need to go there to preach the Gospel.

“So when I finally arrived there, I looked for somewhere to spend the night. I found a hostel with twin-bedded rooms. It was the least expensive option where there were vacancies. The landlord insisted that I share a room with a stranger. When I went to my room, I discovered that my roommate was a smoker and a drug addict. His face showed traces of the violent life he had lived. I was afraid to share a room with this man but as we began to chat, I felt a strange connection between us. He began sharing about his life - his divorce from the wife he loved, the separation from his beloved daughter, his difficult relationships with those closest to him had all contributed to his state of total despair. As we talked, we became friends. I shared the Gospel with him and I talked to him about the power of Jesus to change situations. He allowed me to pray for him.

“After I prayed for him, a radical transformation began to take place within him. He told me that he was hungry. As we set out to find somewhere to eat, his cell phone rang. It was his ex-wife! He hadn't heard anything from her for more than six years! He fell to his knees and began to cry, astonished and overcome by all this. I told him that this was just the beginning of what Jesus wanted to do in his life. Before leaving, I handed him a Gospel.”

Stories like this are being told all over Algeria. Please pray for this new believer and his family, as well as for Arabe’s ministry in his home village and beyond.