BRAZIL — Vicente stood in the center of the crowd, bracing himself like the warrior he is. Small in stature, large in presence, he barked out each statement in chanting cadence.

“I remember when I was young, the missionaries came. They carried a new talk about a true God. We were ignorant about this God, but He was not ignorant about us and the bad we do. I was afraid to meet Him when I died. I would surely fall into that great hot fire. But they told us about the One who can snatch us back onto the right path. Most were not ready to hear this new talk. They were still warring and calling on spirits and doing bad all the time. The missionaries left, but I did not forget what the missionaries had said. I held it in my chest and taught it to my children because I believed what they said was true. Many years have passed and I have gotten old, but I still have not forgotten. Still I carry God’s talk.”

Vicente looked around at the crowd. They had traveled miles, some even days, for this conference for indigenous church leaders. Many had been discipled by Crossworld workers, but Vicente had been “forgotten.” More than 40 years ago, Crossworld workers had left his hostile village, unsure who, if any, had truly grasped the gospel. But here stood a man whose life had been transformed, full of joy and passion all these years later.

Vicente’s harsh chant slowly morphed into a sweet ballad. “Jesus, about Him my spirit is happy. That’s the One I love. I have taken in Jesus. The spirits I have thrown away. Inside my chest, God’s Spirit is living. My many bad things He has thrown away. My chest has now been cleaned.”

The room erupted in spontaneous cheers and praises to God.

As the conference went on, the people continued to worship God, admiring His work, studying His Word, singing, dancing and encouraging each other in faith. At the end of the conference, Vicente, along with 31 others, were baptized to proclaim their faith.

For 40 years, the people who shared God’s truth with Vicente had no idea his life had been transformed. Will you continue to share the gospel, even when you don’t see the fruit?

Italicized names were changed to protect identities.