The spiritual soil in Western Europe can be very hard. In one country, less than 1% of the nearly 50 million people who live there are Evangelical Christian. This can make ministry difficult, but faithful believers are still laboring to spread the gospel among those who don’t know Jesus.
One such believer is Sofia. She and her husband lead a church in Western Europe, where she met a 48-year-old woman named Maria. Maria had a difficult upbringing. Her mother abandoned her as a child, leaving her feeling inadequate and constantly striving for acceptance. As an adult, she offered spiritual advice and referred to herself as “Maria the Witch.”
One day, Maria visited a coffee shop owned by members of the church that Sofia and her husband lead. When the owners told Maria that God had instructed them to open the coffee shop, she became immensely curious and expressed interest in visiting their church.
That next Sunday, Maria came to church and met Sofia. After a few months, Maria told Sofia she was ready to discuss spiritual matters. By then, Sofia learned that Maria had referred to herself as a witch. Sofia felt ill-equipped to discuss Christianity with Maria because of her New Age beliefs. But Sofia asked for prayer as she began discipling Maria.
Soon, Maria’s conversion became evident. While studying the Bible, she asked Sofia to explain 2 Corinthians 5:21, which says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” As Sofia explained the verse, Maria wept, asking how it could possibly be true that Jesus had borne the burden of her sin. To her, it was simply too much to fully comprehend. Maria marveled at the magnitude of Christ’s love, declaring that she could do nothing but offer her gratitude and live her life for Jesus. Her life was forever changed.
Recently, Maria went to get a haircut with a friend she hadn’t seen in a while. While at the salon, Maria turned to her friend and said, “I am not the Maria you used to know. I am a new Maria.” Her friend asked what she meant, and other women gathered around as Maria began to share her testimony. Afterward, Maria shared with Sofia that she was so excited for the opportunity to tell someone else about Jesus.
Maria now attends Sofia’s church, and she feels loved and accepted by her new brothers and sisters in Christ. She even gave herself a new moniker: “Maria the New Creation.”
Stories From the Field
God is moving among the unreached worldwide. Eyes are being opened to the love and grace that Jesus offers to everyone. Read stories of incredible life change, miracles, and softened hearts on the East-West blog.
