The Power of Connection: a book table conversation

An Interserve Partner serving in Greater London shares a recent conversation while running a book table in his local shopping centre.

I had just displayed the books on the table and had my back turned away from the passing pedestrians, when I noticed a man come up behind me. He was intrigued by the New Testament in Farsi. “Is this your language?” I enquired, not sure if he understood English. He nodded. “You can have it” I said. He was pleased.

As I engaged the man in further conversation, I discovered that his English was pretty good. An asylum seeker from the Middle East, Daryan* had been living in a local hotel for over a year. I was able to invite him to the English classes that we run, and the local Farsi church that I attend.

Curious, I probed him with a few more questions. He opened up: “My wife is in prison back home – she was arrested and imprisoned with my child during political riots in my country.” What could I offer this man, I thought, other than the word of God, and the hope that he would read it and come to find hope and life in Jesus?

His situation seemed so hopeless, it was hard to know how I could connect with his story. But a thought then flashed through my mind. I had a friend from the same area as Daryan who had come to the UK previously. He had initially had to leave his family behind, but was later reunited with them. I rang him up and the two men connected with each other in their language on the phone.

Before he left the book table that morning, Daryan and I exchanged phone numbers. Let’s see what God will do.

* Name changed for security purposes

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