By alan ch’ng
In a city of winding alleys and sandstone rooftops, where ancient cultures and modern challenges meet, God is quietly building something new through lives fully surrendered to Him.
About nine years ago, “Nathan” and his family launched into South Asia with faith and vision, compelled by a calling to live among the unreached. The first few years, however, offered little evidence of fruit. Language learning, business setbacks, cultural barriers, and spiritual resistance marked their path. At one point, five years in, Nathan returned to his home country weary and discouraged. Despite years of effort, they had not seen a single person fully commit their life to Jesus.
During a time of reflection in the book of Habakkuk, a small word stood out to him: yet. “Though the fig tree does not bud...yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” It was a word that steadied his spirit and reminded him that God is still at work—even when we do not yet see the fruit.
Renewed, the family returned and soon after moved to a new city—one with fewer foreign workers, fewer believers, and perhaps even greater challenges. In that city, they sensed God’s leading to a specific neighborhood, known for its strong cultural and religious identity. Yet, no foreign family had ever lived there before. Rental options were nonexistent. Out of necessity, they moved into a guesthouse run by a local Muslim family.
What began as a temporary solution stretched into eight months. The conditions were difficult—mice in the kitchen, no washing machine, and restrictions on cooking—but God was at work in hidden ways. The host family observed how Nathan and his family lived: their humility, their rhythms of Scripture and prayer, and their respect for the local culture. Slowly, trust grew. This family, influential in the neighborhood, became advocates for Nathan’s presence. The guesthouse became not just a place to sleep, but a bridge into the community.
Eventually, God opened the door for a permanent home—ironically, through a building damaged by fire. A local guesthouse had partially burned, and the landlord was looking to rebuild. Nathan saw the potential. They took a step of faith, and it became their new base of ministry.
It was during the renovation of that building that Nathan met “Sam,” a local day laborer. Sam had grown up in the neighborhood. He had lived a hard life—marked by gang violence, addiction, and deep personal brokenness. But as he helped clean and rebuild the house, he lingered at the door. Nathan invited him in, little by little, through stories and audio recordings of Scripture.
Sam listened. And listened again. Night after night, he replayed the stories. The Word of God met him in the quiet, stirring a deep conviction. One night, overwhelmed by a sense of his sin, he felt a holy presence with him. The next morning, he told his family, “I’ve decided to follow Jesus.”
What followed was not immediate transformation, but steady, visible growth. Sam began to read and obey Scripture with a simple, undivided heart. He sought reconciliation with his wife, publicly apologizing to her in front of their children. He began to understand what it means to live a clean life—not one of legalism, but of grace and integrity. When his motorbike was vandalized in retaliation for his new faith, he chose patience over revenge. “That’s not what I learned in my gangster days,” he told Nathan, “but if it’s what Jesus says, I’ll do it.”
From the beginning, this work has not been about platforms or programs. It has been about discipling the whole person—in kitchens and courtyards, through celebration and suffering. It has meant creating a climate of grace, where the Gospel speaks into trauma, addiction, and fractured families. Sam’s transformation has flowed into his own community. He now shares Scripture widely over messaging apps, especially to those with Muslim backgrounds. His boldness, forged in years of street survival, has been repurposed for the Kingdom.
One of those he shared with was “Jane,” a woman in a distant state who also came from a Muslim background. Jane had questions. Sam offered her the same audio Bible stories that had changed his life. She began gathering women in her neighborhood to listen with her—eventually growing to a group of 40.
Jane’s group of women continues to walk a journey of faith—now with new complexities. As with many growing communities, tensions have emerged. But instead of retreating, Sam leaned in. He sensed the Lord's prompting and, at his own expense, endured a grueling 50-hour train ride to visit the group face-to-face. Though reconciliation among the women is still unfolding, the visit was not in vain. During his time there, Sam connected deeply with a couple—“David” and “Anna”—who are emerging as potential leaders. Anna, already a believer, brings quiet strength and faith, while David listens intently to the Scriptures, his heart softening toward Christ.
This is the nature of Gospel movement: beautiful, messy, and unmistakably God-led. Fruit is still emerging—not always where we expect, but always in line with His timing. The Kingdom is advancing—not fast, but deep. Through setbacks and breakthroughs alike, the call remains the same: to show up, remain faithful, and rejoice in the “yet.” Because the God who calls us into the fire is the same God who walks with us through it—and He is not finished yet.
