Laying Tiles And The Truth

In the communities where CHLF serves, churches are small, and pastors often serve bi-vocationally. While this follows the pattern we see in the New Testament and early church, it is a challenge for our partners to juggle professional work and the needs of pastoral ministry. But it also means that they are present in ordinary places, doing ordinary work, building relationships with people who may never walk into a church. Sometimes the work of ministry happens behind a pulpit. Sometimes it happens while laying tile in the home of an elderly Muslim woman. In northern Galilee, Bshara often takes on construction side-work, and he recently shared this story with us:

“Two years ago, I did a tile job in a nearby village for an elderly Muslim woman. From the beginning, it was clear she was carrying a heavy burden. There was a deep sadness on her face that stayed with me throughout the work.

A week ago, she called again and asked if I could come by to fix an issue with the tiles. Before I drove over, I sat in the car and prayed. I asked the Lord, “I worked in this woman’s home for a month and never had an open door to share Your good news with her. Please open a door this time. Bring Your hope into her life.”

When I arrived and stepped into her home, I immediately noticed a wheelchair. I asked who it was for, and at that moment she broke down in tears. She told me her son had been in a motorcycle accident, and the situation was severe. The nerve damage in his leg was so extensive that doctors were saying amputation might be the only option. They had already consulted multiple physicians, and the consensus was the same.

It was then I realized: this was the door I had prayed for.

For the next two hours, I spoke with her about the Lord, about His goodness, His blessings, and how to come to Him for salvation and healing. She kept saying, “You are a gift from heaven. How did you know I needed this?”

I told her honestly, “This morning I prayed and asked God to open a door to speak with you. I’m not only here to fix what you called me for. I’m here because the Lord cares about your life.”

She continued to weep, and eventually asked if I could also meet her son to encourage him.

That encounter deeply impacted me. Even after years in ministry, I’m still struck by how God shows up with such kindness and timing. I asked for a door, and He didn’t just open it. He made it wide open.

He gave me the strength, courage, and clarity to speak into her life. It reminded me again that ministry doesn’t ultimately depend on eloquence or special ability. It depends on God’s presence. When we ask, He provides what we need, leads us where we need to go, and opens the doors only He can open.”

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Stories like this remind us why the presence of the local church matters so much in the Holy Land. These small groups of Christ followers may not look powerful by the usual standards, but they are present, and they are rooted in their communities. They are trusted. They are close enough to notice the wheelchair in the room, close enough to sit with a grieving mother, and close enough to speak the hope of Christ when a door opens.