One afternoon, just three months into her Journeyman term, International Mission Board missionary Olivia Tucker was visiting a friend’s home when suddenly she found herself cornered.
“When do you pray? How do you pray? What do you pray for? When do you fast? How do you fast? Why do you fast? What do you read? When do you read?”
The spate of rapid-fire questions flew at Tucker in the local language, and she scrambled to keep up with what her friend was asking. She wanted to clearly communicate with Little S, the name she affectionately calls her friend.
“If anything was absorbed by her that was true, that was definitely the Spirit,” Tucker laughed, recalling her limited understanding of the local language so soon after her arrival.
The summer before, Tucker had visited the region in Central Asia on a weeklong vision trip as she worked through God’s calling for her life. Her heart broke for the people she met living in spiritual darkness, especially Little S, a young woman experiencing recurring dreams about Jesus. Tucker said that’s when she knew.
“I wanted to be here,” she said, “because I met this young woman living out in a village with a heart to know more about Jesus.”
Curiosity
After her move to Central Asia, Tucker joined teammates working on a farm connected to Little S’s village. Her professional experience in the U.S. created a natural opportunity to come alongside locals working on the farm. It also provided genuine connections to share the gospel.
At first, during her visits to the farm on weekends, there was only time for brief chats with Little S in group settings. But soon, Little S could no longer contain her curiosity and hunger for the gospel. When Tucker visited her home one afternoon, all her questions came tumbling out.
Tucker began going to the village more often and stayed overnight at the farm. She and Little S met regularly for discipleship, and Little S exhibited a deep hunger for the Word of God and following Jesus. She often pressed Tucker to continue studying the Bible. Tucker called it an exciting and encouraging summer.
But then, in the fall, things took a turn. As life became busier, Tucker and Little S met less and less. When they did get together, Little S asked challenging questions. Though she had rejected the tribal religion many people in her village practiced, she wasn’t yet sure Jesus was God – a common hurdle among Central Asians.
When Tucker noticed Little S covering herself for prayer and experimenting with other Muslim rituals and traditions, she became extremely discouraged. It seemed Little S was testing both Islam and Christianity. As Tucker witnessed Little S’s eagerness and excitement for God’s Word spiral into confusion and doubt, she felt led to start praying and fasting on Thursdays.
At the same time, unknown to Tucker, every Thursday afternoon, Little S was meeting secretly with a friend to read the Bible.
Little S’s friend, Diana, came from a very strict family. One of Diana’s siblings was a follower of Islam, and the girls met secretly on the roof of Little S’s home to read the Bible and the Quran. They decided to put both books to the test.
“They asked God to show them which book was right and which words were true,” Tucker said. “And it soon became evident to them.”
One day Diana told Little S, “I believe Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the Son of God.”
From that moment, they were all in.
‘Worth coming’
When Little S finally told Tucker about her secret Thursday meetings with Diana, the details spilled out – how God answered their prayers, how they were convinced Jesus was the Son of God, how they were studying the Bible together and wanted to be baptized. Tucker started to cry.
“I have seen the sufficiency of God’s Word, that it is powerful and living and active,” Tucker said. “Even when my language skills weren’t to the point that I could share all these profound truths, [Little S] got it from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.”
Tucker hopes her experience encourages other people to come and share the gospel, and to know their lack of language does not disqualify them from joining God’s work around the world.
A few months before the end of her Journeyman term, Little S asked Tucker another question. “When do you cry?”
Tucker thought a moment before answering, “Do you remember when you told me about your friend Diana and when she started to believe? I cried.” Little S nodded, then looked at Tucker.
“Olivia, I’m so glad that you came here because you encouraged me,” Little S said. “And then I got to encourage Diana. And now Diana’s going to encourage someone else.”
It was the sweetest reminder for Tucker why she came.
“I really just got to bear witness to the Father’s faithfulness,” said Tucker, whose Journeyman term ended last fall. “Even if all I did was encourage Little S, it was worth it. It was worth coming here, it was worth spending my time here.”
Learn more about IMB’s Journeyman program for young adults ages 21-29.
Some names have been changed for security.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kristen Sosebee and originally published by the International Mission Board.
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