An Ear Opened and Heart Touched – Miracles in the Mountains

A South Asian church planter helped start a large movement in one location. Recently, his family moved to a new area. He wanted to pioneer there.

It was difficult to go from having many believers to zero. His heart burned with a passion to reach the unreached though, so he and his family stepped out in faith and went. Their new area was high in the mountains. The roads were often snow-covered and closed.

They began to share the gospel and a handful of people started to believe.

A Call From Far Away

One day, he got a phone call from one of the believers in the previous church. This man had gone for work to another remote high mountain area. He took with him the training in disciple-making he’d received.

The man began to share the gospel with others who were migrant workers in this remote area. Soon several families believed.

The church planter began to train and disciple them over the phone. He taught them how to multiply disciples and do Discovery Bible studies together. He visited when he could, but it was a long and difficult bus journey on very windy roads through the mountains.

Hearing Loss for a Young Girl

One of the families in that area had a sixteen-year-old daughter who was deaf. At the age of three or four, she had suffered from some kind of ear infection. This had resulted in a loss of hearing in both ears.

At one point, someone had given her a hearing aid which helped some, but it had been lost. The teenage girl seemed interested to know what was being shared, but she was unable to hear. Then, miraculously God made a way.

Prayer for Healing

On one of their visits to this area, the church planter and his wife prayed for her to be healed. They told stories to the family of how Jesus had healed the sick and restored hearing to those who were deaf. After praying they returned home. Soon they got word that one of her ears had opened. She was beginning to hear!

On a recent visit, they gave an audio bible device to the family. The formerly deaf girl was so excited! Daily, she listened to the stories on the audio Bible again and again. She carried the Bible everywhere she went and was delighted to hear God’s word.

Though she is still unable to speak, it is obvious to all that she is understanding. Recently she used signs to indicate that she wanted to receive Jesus as her Savior and Lord.

Challenges to Overcome

In spite of the remoteness of this area, God’s Kingdom is advancing. The sacrifice and deep commitment of the local church planter are paying off. It isn’t easy. Finances are tight for this family. They often struggle to make ends meet.

There are also physical challenges. On a recent visit, the road was blocked. The YWAM couple spent a night in the bus waiting for it to be repaired. A sixteen-hour trip turned into a much longer journey. When they reached the village, they found such hunger and openness to the gospel though. Their long and difficult journey was quickly forgotten.

Multiplication Has Begun

The church in this very remote area is growing. Ordinary disciples are making disciples. Migrant workers are carrying the gospel with them wherever they go in search of work.

Recently, three more people came to the Lord during the church planter’s visit. They were businessmen. In spite of persecution, they made a firm decision to receive Christ as their Savior. Another miracle had taken place.

The small but growing church has four target areas. They want to start new daughter churches in those places. They are making plans to visit surrounding areas to share the good news. Five young people from this remote village have just applied to do a Discipleship Training School. They will travel to a mountain town about sixteen hours away by bus. After DTS, they hope to reach more ends of the earth locations like their own.

God’s Kingdom is spreading to remote peoples in remote places. His committed followers carry their testimony and share it.

A young deaf girl now can hear. Soon she will learn to speak. It won’t surprise me if one of the first things she learns to do is share the stories she’s been constantly listening to.

Remote Places Still Remain

Do you have a heart for areas like this? Many remote places remain with little witness. Maybe God will send you to take His good news to them, to train, or encourage new believers. Would you, like this local church planter, be ready to say yes?

Not everyone goes. Some are called to send. Partnerships are needed for local workers like the brother mentioned in this story. Write to us if you are interested to partner with this couple or other teams. God is working in miraculous ways. Let’s join what He is doing!