for the sake of one

After the conclusion was made to send Dan home, an emotional battle stirred within him. "Why would God send me all the way to Africa, to send me home again?" Dan has wrestled with this question in his heart for as long as he's wrestled with his physical health. My heart goes out to him for all the turmoil and suffering he's experienced, but I cannot hide the joy inside of me for being aware of the Lord's purpose in sending him here these past three months. During Dan's time in Pretoria, he boldly proclaimed the Gospel in word and deed to those around him. Though his physical health may not have been well, it did not stop the Holy Spirit from working through Dan to reach his campus and this country. 

Aubrey is a student at the TUKS University who Dan met one afternoon while sharing his faith on campus. Seizing the opportunity to speak to him about Jesus, Dan began to share his faith openly and honestly. Just minutes into their dialogue with each other, Dan began to realize that Aubrey's entire life was about to change in this very conversation. An atheist who made a deliberate decision to never get involved with "spiritual things" because God simply didn't exist, began to open up to the truth of Jesus Christ for the very first time. Asking questions and soaking in the beauty of the gospel, Aubrey's heart began to soften as light pierced through years of darkness in his life. For weeks, Aubrey attended two Campus Crusade meetings every Tuesday, hearing the same message at both meetings every week. Continuing to follow-up with Dan, he willingly joined a weekend retreat that Dan invited him to. Aubrey prayed to receive Christ that weekend and has found great joy in getting to know God now as his Father. 

Every week since the two of them met, Dan met with Aubrey to challenge him in Scripture and share more about the truth and joy of his salvation. The two of them started off as strangers, and have become both friends and brothers in Christ. 

Although Dan may have been here for only three months, the Lord was faithful to use him to bring one student into the Kingdom. Now through Aubrey, many others will also come to know Christ...and through them, even more. Jesus says "There is great joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents and returns to God." So it is true with Aubrey, and we rejoice that Dan was here to be used as a part of his story of salvation.