As a young man, Peter was raised in a Christian home. He learned to love the Lord at an early age and had a passion for reading. He especially enjoyed reading historical books of great missionaries in the past who have sacrificed much for the Lord. He hoped that one day when he was an adult, he also would be a missionary to a foreign land. As he grew, this longing also grew.
Growing up in England, Peter had a very comfortable life. His parents were of middle-class society and had provided well for their children. Yet, Peter did not have a desire to settle down to middle class living in England. He felt the call of the Holy Spirit to go as a foreign missionary to spread the gospel.
He prayed much about this, and prayed that the Lord would direct and to open up the doors at the right time. After high school, Peter went to mission school to learn as much as he could about the doctrines and teachings of the Bible. He also wanted to learn from the older missionaries who had been on foreign assignments. He had no thoughts about marriage and raising a family; however, while at mission school he met Johanna. She had a meek and humble spirit and was always cheerful. Johanna shared Peter’s passion of being a foreign missionary. Johanna studied nursing and had hopes of becoming a foreign medical missionary. It was not long before Peter and Johanna were inseparable. When they graduated, they married and together prayed for the Lord to open doors for them to go to share the gospel in a foreign land.
A few months went by and Peter and Johanna continued praying. One Sabbath a visiting missionary came to visit their church. He was getting older and ready to retire. He shared his experiences while working for the Lord in the country of Sudan in Africa. There was much need for someone to replace him as he had returned to England to retire. Peter and Johanna eagerly jumped on this opportunity. After a few months, they were on their way to Africa by boat.
They did not know what awaited them, but they went by faith. After a month of travelling, by boat, and by land, they arrived at a little village at the base of a mountain where they settled for the next ten years. The old church was run down. No one had attended it for quite some time. The believers had moved to other parts of the country to avoid persecution in their village. There was not one single member in the village, and Peter and Johanna did not even speak their language.
The villagers watched with curiosity as Peter and Johana settled into life in this remote village. They had effectively driven all the other believers away and were confident they could do the same to Peter and Johanna. They did not like the white missionaries coming and disrupting their way of life. They loved their feasting,
and they were a violent group of people, who loved to attack the surrounding villages. Peter and Johanna knew that only by the grace of God, would they be safe and would the way open up for the villagers to accept Jesus.
After a few months, Peter and Johanna settled in and had built a nice garden around their house. They were slowly fixing up the church also in preparation for church services. The work slowed down a little when little Edward was born, but he brought much joy and happiness to the household.
Peter was slowly learning the local language and would try to visit with the villagers and just make friends at first. Although they were polite, because they saw a mother and child there, they showed little interest in the teachings that this new white missionary brought.
After some time, they had hoped they would leave, but they did not. Soon enough the church doors opened, and Peter and Johanna invited the villagers in. No one came. No one was interested. In fact the chief threatened his villagers. He told them they cannot attend, or he would drive them away from the village. The villagers did not want to leave, so they listened to their chief.
One night when Peter was fast asleep, he was awakened by some strange noises outside. If he had not been so deeply asleep, he would have seen some shadowy figures of young men as they made their way down the path from their village towards his home and the church in the darkness. Life had not been easy in this remote village for him and Johanna, but the Lord had been with them.
“Now we will see what kind of man he really is,” muttered one of the young men. “Maybe he won’t be so loving after our visit tonight.” He laughed.
“And hopefully he leaves and goes back to where he came from,” whispered another.
Cautiously they approached the darkened house, while their eyes searched the darkness.
“No one is awake. Let us do our job well.”
The men quickly lifted themselves onto the roof and soon the muffled sounds of falling thatch blended in with the other night sounds. They worked quickly lest someone should surprise them from their evil work.
At this point in time, Peter awoke and heard the strange noises. “Something is not right,” he thought. As the strange sounds continued, he sat up in bed. “There are unusual noises on the roof,” he said to himself.
Carefully he made his way across the bedroom floor, through the darkened room, and reaching the outside doorway he quietly opened the latch. Peering cautiously into the night he could make out the figures of several men busily at work.
“What are they doing?” he gasped, as he stared at them. “They are destroying the thatch roof.” Slowly he understood that these men were wanting to drive him and his wife away, in a peaceful manner. He knew that many of the villagers did not appreciate him and his wife being there.
Raising his eyes to heaven, he prayed for God to show him what to do. Then turning around he quickly went back into the house. He went to wake his wife. “Johanna,” he called, “workmen have come to us; you had better prepare a meal.”
The strange happenings of the past few minutes had startled Johanna, but now she understood. She soon was busily but quietly at work in the little kitchen. She did not want to alarm her “workers.” Before long, a meal was waiting on the neatly spread table.
Opening the door once more, Peter called to the young men on the roof. “You have worked long and hard. Surely you are hungry. Now come in and eat with us.”
The young men were taken by surprise. They did not know what to do at first. Hesitatingly they came into the room and stood awkwardly around the table where the lighted candles gave the room a friendly glow. Peter urged them to be seated and finally they found their places where they sat uncomfortably staring at their plates.
Peter bowed his head and folded his hands while the other guests watched in silence. Then Peter prayed earnestly and fervently and lovingly for his guests, for their families, and for his family. When the prayer was finished, the young men raised their faces in shame. Peter and Johanna filled their plates with plenty of delicious food. The men quietly ate, and then without a word, slipped out into the darkness. Once again, Peter heard footsteps on his roof, and the shuffle of thatch. But this time it was not the sound of falling thatch. They were putting it back on the roof. When they were done, the young men disappeared into the night.
That was not the last that Peter saw of these young men. The next day, one of them returned and wanted to know more about Peter’s faith and his God. He had grown up around selfishness, evil and hatred, and he did not understand how someone could be so kind,
when they were doing something so evil. This young man was not happy and was drawn to the love that was pouring out of the home of Peter and Johanna.
It was not long before the little church was filled with eager listeners who were tired of their tribal religious practices, and all the wars and fightings with surrounding villages. They desired that peace and joy that Peter and Johanna experienced, even when others were not nice to them.
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.” Proverbs 25:21–22. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
If you show kindness to those who are treating you badly, they may one day be your friend. This is what Jesus did. When they nailed Him to the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34. One day all those who have learned to be like Jesus, will be with Him in heaven. I hope you will be there too.