How to Turn the Taliban

By Kimberly Rae Thigpen

The only power strong enough to defeat darkness is light.

“S”* stood over the body of the missionary, his enemy. S was the one who had called late in the night, who accused, “you are a preacher of the Gospel of Christ,” and waited for the response, “Yes, I am,” that would seal this man’s fate. The missionary would be abducted. Blindfolded. Driven into the mountains. Forced to endure great pain before he died.

S did not work alone. There were others, with guns, who took off the missionary’s blindfold and demanded, “Explain the Gospel of Christ to us.” 

The man had not cowered or recanted in a plea for mercy. There, facing torture and death, he spoke of Christ’s life and death and resurrection. “Jesus is life,” he said. “He is salvation, and He will come for the judgment of the world.”

Love. Grace. He spoke of things that sounded like weakness. They beat him, threw him on the side of the road, and left him to die alone with his faith.

S took his bag. Inside, he found the missionary’s Bible, and lessons, New Life in Christ and Practical Christian Living, by Source of Light Ministries. 

Over the next days and weeks, S read them.

He studied them.

He was transformed.

S found out the missionary had survived. He met with him and shared that he had been completely changed by the Gospel. Brother now to the missionary, rather than the Taliban, S himself had been beaten, put on ice for hours, and then he too was thrown on the side of the road to die.

It did not deter S. “Nothing could part me from the love of Christ,” he told the missionary, “not even death.” 

Such is the transforming power of the Gospel.

 

*Name withheld for security