When I first went to Siberia to preach the gospel, a young man, Muerrod, served as my interpreter. Because Christianity was so new to Russia, Muerrod knew little about the Jesus or the Bible. During the three months we worked together, I joked and kidded Muerrod, but I never saw him smile. When I asked him why he never smiled, he said he had nothing to smile about. The years of communism had taken their toll on him. Night after night, the altars were filled with desperate people who found Christ as their Savior. But Muerrod was never among them.
The last night I was there, I knew this might be my last chance to see Muerrod accept Christ. In desperation I prayed, “Please, God, let this be the night Muerrod finds You.” Later, as I gave the altar call, hands went up all over the auditorium. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Muerrod’s hand raised as well! With tears streaming down his face, he made his way to the front.
After the service, Muerrod came to me with the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Pastor Mike,” he said, “I finally understand. You must come to my village and tell my people about Christ.”
I explained that I couldn’t come because my money had run out and my visa would expire soon. I handed him a Bible and told him that he could tell his village.
Muerrod shook his head. “My family will never believe me,” he said. “They know my past.” Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out three coins. They were worth only a few pennies, but they were all he had. “Take these,” he said. “My dream to see my family saved has to cost me something.” I tried to refuse, knowing that this was all the money he had for a 36-hour train ride home. But Muerrod was insistent, so I promised him I would come back to his village as soon as I could.
Months later, I returned to Siberia. Muerrod’s city was the first place I went to plant a church. We held a service, and afterward many people accepted Christ. Several people came to me at the conclusion of the service and introduced themselves as Muerrod’s family. They were all Christians.
When I asked where Muerrod was, his mother’s eyes filled with tears. She explained that Muerrod had died of tuberculosis a few months before, but he left his legacy and gave all he had to see his family come to Christ. Someday he will be reunited with his family in his heavenly home. What a day that will be!
Three Soviet coins.
US ADDRESS: AGWM 1445 BOONVILLE AVE. SPRINGFIELD, MO. 65802 US PHONE: 954.232.0591 OVERSEAS PHONE: 011.7.394.223.5542
