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Story Time

Storytelling is an effective evangelism tool in Africa, where most people tend to be oral learners.

Since our medical center opened its doors in West Africa in 2006, thousands of patients have received physical healing through the staff’s healthcare expertise.

Last year alone, an estimated 100 patients as well as family members and friends—most steeped in the region’s predominant religion—found spiritual wholeness in Christ through the center’s holistic ministry.

New Outreach

God’s love is evident through doctors and nurses who exhibit a compassion that many here have never experienced. Local pastors give devotionals and daily pray with each patient. The JESUS film is shown in our waiting room, and a number of invaluable prayer warriors intercede for us.

Since Africans tend to be oral learners,“storying” is a recent addition to our evangelism efforts. Currently, seven of us on the team here tell Bible stories to patients and family members five days a week at the hospital.

When I first heard of orality ministries, I naively wondered how retelling biblical narratives without including the gospel message would be effective. How wrong I was!

Five people who have regularly attended our storying time have accepted Jesus as their Savior. Several others have shown continued interest since leaving the hospital.

120 Inmates Greeted Us

When the Holy Spirit is at work, it’s amazing how people come to understand deep truths about God’s redemptive message. One example comes to mind from last Easter, when our team was invited to do storying at the local prison.

None of us knew what to expect, but we were surprised when more than 120 inmates greeted us!

One of our team members, although nervous about the inmates’ response, told the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). To further engage the men with the story, she asked for volunteers to act out the narrative as she retold it a second time. Several stepped forward.

Unexpected Revelation

When the inmate portraying the father welcomed home the man portraying his wayward son, he pulled off his dirty, tattered shirt and put it on him. He then gave the son his old, torn flip flops.

As I watched this unexpected act of compassion, I choked back tears. I saw the Father’s love for us in a whole new way.

When the story ended and we were gearing up for questions, an older man spoke from the back of the crowd. “I know what this story means!” he said. “The father represents God and His love for people. No matter what we’ve done, no matter how far we have wandered away, He is always waiting to welcome us.”

I was blown away! I don’t think that this man was a Christian. We hadn’t shared the gospel. We hadn’t even discussed the story, but clearly the Holy Spirit was at work in the heart of this man and others in the audience.

Although a local pastor who had accompanied us to the prison wrapped up our time together, none of us could top the prisoner’s powerful message.

—Based on a report by an Alliance international worker who serves at a medical center in West Africa

Pray

  • “Please continue to pray with us that God will add to this ministry and continue to keep these stories fresh in our hearts as well as quicken the hearts of those who hear them,” requests the author.
  • Use the weekly Alliance Prayer Requests to join the Alliance family in interceding on behalf of our teams in West Africa and worldwide, who often serve in challenging circumstances that require Holy Spirit–inspired wisdom and creativity in communicating God’s love to those who don’t know Him.

Learn More

  • For more about the Alliance response to oral learners, be sure to visit our Heart Stories page.
  • Read “From Shame to Hope,” an Alliance Life article that contains additional information about the medical center’s outreach to local inmates.
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