Nantai's parents had come to know Jesus when Nantai was a child and had taken Nantai to church regularly, but as a teenager, he had stopped going to church, preferring to hang out with his friends. He had ignored their advice and lived recklessly. What would become of him now?
It was almost too much for the mother to bear. Zuma turned to God in earnest prayer. Pleading with the Lord, she promised, “If my son could survive, I would give my son to serve the Lord.”
Within a week, Nantai was conscious and out of danger. The Lord had answered their prayers! And as time went on, Zuma would witness the impact of her answered prayer multiply.
A Changed Life Changing Lives
God used this miracle to work in Nantai’s heart. The young man began to change as he realized God’s unconditional love and saving power. Nantai repented of his rebellion and welcomed Jesus into his life, resolving to serve the Lord. He began attending church regularly and sought God’s will for his life. The Lord led him to Bible college, where he studied for three years.
Nantai became a GFA missionary and began ministering in his assigned region, sharing Christ’s love with everyone around him. A native of the area, Pastor Nantai instinctively recognized cultural taboos and norms and sought effective methods to share the hope he had. The work was hard as many people opposed his ministry, but Pastor Nantai did not give up. With a heart of love, he continued to pray and serve. Before long, he had established a prayer fellowship with 25 believers.
A wife soon joined Nantai’s home and ministry. The couple were transferred to another village and ministered alongside one another to people in need. Like other GFA national missionaries, Pastor Nantai and his wife lived among the people they served. With native insight into the community’s needs, they sought ways to best serve their neighbors, bringing community-wide solutions as well as individual help to the people.
Before long, he had established a prayer fellowship with 25 believers.
One need of the community—a common one in impoverished areas where GFA missionaries serve—was education, so Pastor Nantai opened a free tuition center for the children. Along with academic help, Pastor Nantai shared hope from God’s Word. Whenever a child could not attend class because of sickness, Pastor Nantai would visit the family, encouraging them and praying for the sick child. As parents witnessed Pastor Nantai’s care for their children and their children’s healing in response to God answering his prayers, many decided to follow Jesus.
Pastor Nantai also looked to help his community in other practical ways, attentive to the critical needs of the village. GFA missionaries frequently arrange for the building of Jesus Wells in response to the need for clean water, distribute income-generating gifts to help people break the cycle of poverty, establish child sponsorship programs to help give children brighter futures, provide adult literacy classes and offer other helpful solutions to people’s everyday needs, all in Jesus’ name.
Visiting various community members, Pastor Nantai shared Christ’s love whenever and however he could. He and his wife organized programs, a women’s fellowship, a youth fellowship, a men’s fellowship and a Sunday school. Their ministry grew, and soon 45 people were following Christ and meeting together.
GFA national missionaries often serve in hard-to-reach areas and among people who haven’t ever heard the name of Jesus. Pastor Nantai was no exception, and he began to minister in a neighboring village that held no believers, cycling more than 20 miles to reach it.
Their ministry grew, and soon 45 people were following Christ and meeting together.
On one of his regular visits, three individuals spotted Pastor Nantai on his bicycle. Curious, they stopped the missionary and began to talk to him. Pastor Nantai learned that these three had once followed Christ, but out of fear of showing their faith publicly in a village with no believers, they no longer practiced the faith.
Upon their invitation, Pastor Nantai started a prayer fellowship, conducting services every week. Their faith rekindled, the three believers began to join Pastor Nantai in ministry. Together, they shared Christ’s love, handed out Gospel literature and prayed for the sick. The community began to be transformed as lives were impacted by God’s love. Many people began coming to Sunday services after experiencing healing. Others were transformed by God’s Word on the tracts they received. People heard the Good News and saw God’s love in action.
Pastor Nantai continued to diligently serve this community. Through his efforts and by God’s grace, soon there were 90 believers worshiping in a temporary meeting place. Pastor Nantai established a Sunday school as well as youth, men’s and women’s fellowships there.
Later, Nantai continued his ministry in another village. Once again, he got to know the people in the community, looking for ways to serve, showing them Christlike love in whatever ways he could. Through Pastor Nantai’s ministry, God began to transform lives, such as those of Kahoni and Sachiko.
Miracles Grow the Church
At the age of 55, Kahoni had been tormented by an evil spirit for 17 long years. Unable to walk or talk, she was completely bedridden.
After meeting Pastor Nantai, Kahoni’s family shared the woman’s situation and invited him to their home. Encouraging the disheartened family, Pastor Nantai earnestly prayed for Kahoni in Jesus’ name. In response to his prayers of faith, Kahoni was delivered from the demonic oppression. Slowly, her body began to heal, and she began to walk and talk. Astonished by the miracle, Kahoni, her entire family and many fellow villagers came to know Christ.
Sachiko was also afflicted by an evil spirit, who had tormented her for four years. Thinking it was a physical ailment, her family had taken the 40-year-old woman to multiple hospitals for treatment. They had also performed many religious rites to traditional gods, seeking her improvement. But her condition remained the same.
Then they brought Sachiko to the church led by Pastor Nantai. There, she received prayer and God completely delivered her! As a result, many more people joined their numbers, and the church grew to 160 believers.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Pastor Nantai encountered a major obstacle in ministering to his fledgling congregation and the surrounding community. Considered a “red zone,” the region was completely shut down. He was unable to move about for a time, but he continued to minister, encouraging people from God’s Word through phone calls and praying for their needs.
As a result, many more people joined their numbers, and the church grew to 160 believers.
With a heart burdened for his people, Pastor Nantai does whatever he can to share Christ’s love in word and deed. His mother’s prayers continue to bear fruit in his life and in all the lives he has touched with the same resurrection power that raised him from that hospital bed.
Bearers of Light, Hope
Pastor Nantai is but one example of the many GFA national missionaries serving communities in need. These missionaries are trained and eager to share Christ’s love in unreached areas with people who might not even have heard the name of Jesus. National missionaries have many advantages. Because they serve in their own countries, they can move freely in areas that may be closed to outsiders and face few cultural or language barriers. Pastor Nantai, for example, served in the same state where he had grown up. National missionaries live simply, with a passion to serve their own people and a special insight into the needs of the community.
They bring hope and light into desperation and despair.
As a result, lives and communities are being transformed. You can be a part of this work of sharing Christ’s love with people in need by partnering with these national missionaries through your prayers and support.
