Most days, my little town’s square looks like the perfect setting for a gunfight in an old Western film: barren, dusty, and a little rough around the edges.
When the market arrives on Tuesdays, however, the place fills with life. Hundreds of merchants from Muslim villages near and far set up little shelters of tarp and burlap to ply their wares.
But the market isn’t just for buying and selling goods. People also come to deal in a different sort of commodity: relationship.
One of the fun curiosities at the market is me, a pale-skinned American man.
The local economy is more about relationships and favors than money and wares. And in this sort of market, failing to be present in the town square on a Tuesday is unthinkable.
It’s the social event of the week. Everyone goes, partly to buy goods, but mostly just to be present. Townspeople greet each other, gossip about the latest news, and see what novelties have arrived. They simply want to be involved in whatever is happening.
As it turns out, one of the fun curiosities at the market is me, a pale-skinned American man who speaks the local tribal language as well as Arabic, the national language. Because of this, I get to have many opportunities to sit and talk and tell stories about Jesus.
The longer I live here, the more I am being welcomed into the lives of other townspeople—and the more relational obligations I have to fulfill. Which means every market day, I’m expected to go around and greet a growing number of friends and acquaintances.
I don’t always remember each person’s name. And I have to answer thousands of questions about where I’m from, why I moved here, and why I’m not married yet. That gets tiring. But I enjoy people’s friendliness as they welcome me into their lives.
Plus, I can also usually find a precious pint of fresh grapefruit juice—my guilty pleasure for the week, sold by an old man from a distant village. Market day still has its commercial rewards!
Pray that the market in this town becomes known as a place to hear about Jesus Christ.
A Frontiers field worker is surprised to meet a Muslim university student who has been studying the Injil online.
This account comes from a long-term worker.