A new believer is water baptized in North Africa.
The world needs some hope right now. But does the Gospel actually make the world a better place? It would be a mistake to assume that the benefits of sharing the message of Jesus’ love are somehow less tangible and less immediate than other forms of care.
The Gospel is more important and more impactful than anything else we could offer. Only the Gospel has the power to change a person’s heart, and changed hearts change the world.
From two different parts of the globe, EHC teams bring you examples of how the Gospel is the answer to the world’s problems.
An End to Violence
Pedro lives on a reservation in Colombia. At one time, he was known for drunkenness and street fighting. But when Pedro heard the Gospel and put his faith in Jesus, his life was completely changed.
Joyful EHC volunteers smile during an outreach in Colombia.
This change was put to the test when Pedro’s brother was killed by a neighboring village. In these communities, revenge is a matter of honor. All of Pedro’s neighbors expected him to seek the blood of his brother’s murderers. It’s the way things had always been done in the past — a pattern of violence that had never been questioned.
Instead, Pedro stood before his community and announced that he would not seek revenge. He would leave his brother’s death in God’s hands and forgive his brother’s murderers.
“Pedro remains firm in his faith in the Lord,” the EHC team writes. “He has become an agent of peace, and an example for his people.”
Pedro was later elected governor of his reservation and a church has been built in his village. A community once known for violence has been transformed into a people of peace — all because one man heard the Gospel.
Pioneer Missionaries walk into a village in Mozambique.
An End to Exploitation
The people of the Mozambican village of Mazoe followed a long-held tradition. They would give their daughters in marriage while they were still young girls, often to grown men. As chief, it was Malemba’s duty to ensure that the traditions of his people were preserved — including this one.
But one day, a girl who had been given in marriage against her will escaped and ran to the chief. She begged him to help her. She didn’t want to be married. She wanted to go to school.
As Malemba looked into the girl’s eyes, he suddenly saw the traditions of his people differently. Malemba had become a Christian after hearing the Gospel from EHC Pioneer Missionaries, and he had been studying his Bible closely. His new faith allowed him to see the injustice of the situation for the first time.
Chief Malemba called the families together. He told them that the marriage was dissolved and that the young girl should be enrolled in school. He then announced to the entire village of Mazoe that child marriage was a violation of children’s rights.
“He informed them that the Word of God teaches people to respect and love one another as Christ loves us,” the EHC team reports. “From that time, life in Mazoe has been different.”
Before the Gospel reached this village, young girls’ rights had been trampled for generations. But the revelation of Jesus’ love set their most vulnerable people free.
