Selling Snails

“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.” Let this story of one woman’s courageous but simple obedience, encourage and inspire you to look around your neighborhood and see what God might want to do there through you.   

Muslims are noted for their hospitality. They are gracious and friendly. But one thing they will not tolerate are snails. I mean I don’t want to eat a snail, but this is anathema to Muslims.

Now, if you are a Christian living in a Muslim country, they will treat you with hospitality. People will be friendly and try to help you if you have a difficulty. But you will be viewed as if you were a Snail Salesperson. They will be loath to consider what you have to offer.

Let me tell you about one lady, living in a Muslin town. When I say Muslim, I mean 99.9% Muslim. Christians — which she is — form a minuscule minority. The majority of people treat Christians well. They are friendly and hospitable. But not all are inclined to be so - snail sellers after all.

This Christian lady has a heart for the children living near her home and the meeting place for the church. A Saturday club for the few children of the Church was begun. The children living around the meeting place were drawn to the games and laughter.

Many of the neighbours were happy to let their children go into the Christian ‘meeting place’. Many, but not all.

One little boy was caught on the horns of a dilemma. He lives in a home where his father hates Christians. He has absorbed all the negative, horrid things about Christians from his parents. But he, being a child, wanted to play the games and have the treats. But the lady running the activities sells snails. Ugh!

But, still, he is a child. All the other children are playing games and laughing and enjoying a treat. Whenever his dad was not at home, he would join in.

In the lead up to Easter in 2020, the children of the church were encouraged to write out the Gospel of Luke. The children who come to the Saturday activities joined in as well. Of course, this was with their parents’ permission. To write out the Gospel of Luke, well, it takes time and you will do that at home.

Many mums began to help their children. They would read from Luke and the children would write down what they heard. In the end, the Gospel of Luke was read out loud, heard by all in the house, and written down by the children.

This was all because one lady had a heart for children and opened the Saturday activities. She made it open to whosoever wanted to come. She was patient and kind. She visited with the parents. She wanted them to know the kind of people who were running the activities. And when she was faced with a hostile, aggressive, hate-filled response from some, she was loving, gracious and kind. The child was always greeting pleasantly on the street. And when he came, was welcomed in like all the rest. And when he could not come — this too was accepted.

“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow,”- or so goes the saying.

And so from this one woman and her love for children, an opportunity was born. Many homes near the meeting place have received a New Testament. And more than that, it has been read. And many in the home have heard the Gospel of Luke. And the children have written it out.

Due to the pandemic, the Saturday activities have long since ceased. But 25 children wrote out the Gospel of Luke. And 27 mums, inspired by their children, wrote out the Gospel of John. And since then, 48 adults are writing out the New Testament and 13 children are writing out the Children’s New Testament. They are even recreating the illustrations. Oh, and none of children come from Christian homes. And for that matter, three adults writing out the New Testament go to church. All the rest (45) are non-Christian people.

God is good - always. And God uses us simple humans, in simple ways, to share His great love with this world.