I was told that walking through the market and practicing my budding vocabulary would help improve my language. So as I walked into the drafty metal building filled with the strong smell of burning coal and native spices, I began to timidly greet all the vegetable vendors. They stopped and stared as I walked by. I walked around, looking at all the vegetables and meat, hoping to talk with someone. Suddenly, an older man approached me and dispensed a flurry of unintelligible sentences. Flustered, I began to repeat the few phrases I knew in an attempt to answer him. He wasn’t satisfied. He began to speak louder, and, as if I hadn’t already drawn enough attention, a curious crowd began to form around us. Some of the people began to stroke my hair and poke at my funny looking western clothes. I was more than a little overwhelmed when, all of a sudden, one girl selling fish parted the crowd and calmly came to my rescue.

I could understand what she said extremely well. She spoke a little bit of English, which set at ease my frazzled emotions. She helped me answer their questions as best as possible. After a few minutes I profusely thanked her for her help and we parted ways. The next few days I went back to visit my affectionately named “fish lady” with another friend who spoke more of the language than I did. As we sat by the canister of burning coal, chatting with our new friend, we learned that the “fish lady” and her family sell fish to all the surrounding restaurants in the city. Day in and day out they pick the best fish with the hope they will sell everything they can to provide enough money to support their family. As we asked more questions, I came to find out they are a Hui family. I had come to this country with the hope of engaging Hui people with the love of Jesus and now, to my surprise, God had brought an entire Hui family right to me!

Now after living here for six months, I still go to this market every week to chat with my friend. We exchange stories about our week and laugh about the oddities between our very different cultures. But I always visit with the hope of telling her more about Jesus and what He means to me. As I sit and watch her filet fish, I am reminded in Matthew 4 of the story of Jesus as He called His first disciples. He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” I often think about what my friend would have to give up in order to follow Jesus. We have talked many times about the Gospel, but she is very rooted in Islam. For her, giving up Islam means giving up her entire heritage and identity. I am continually asking that the One True God will reveal Himself to my “fish lady” through His Word and even through dreams and visions. I am praying and longing for Him to one day speak the words, “Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of Hui people!”

Father, please draw out Hui people to become disciples of you. Please help them to see that You are worth giving up Islam, family, and finances. By whatever means possible, please reveal Yourself to them, whether that be through dreams and visions, reading Your Word, or local believers telling them the Gospel. May You show them their sin and their need for a Savior. Raise up Hui believers to be fishers of men!