IMB worker Lena Eckhart* meets with a group of Muslim-background women in the United Kingdom who have chosen to commit their lives to Christ. The women, who are South Asian, used to meet regularly to study the Bible. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns in the U.K., the group wasn’t able to meet together for nearly three months.

The women have had a hard time staying in the Word because they have not had privacy during the lockdown. Most of the women have to hide their faith from their families, and the quarantine made it very difficult for them to read their Bibles without being caught.

Pray for South Asians living in the United Kingdom and for opportunities for Christians to meet together and grow in their faith.

When lockdown restrictions eased, Lena was able to meet with five of the ladies at a local shopping center. Not long after they started meeting, police officers came by and asked them to move. The women got up and found another place with benches where they could sit, keep social distance, but also continue their Bible study. Once again, the police asked them to move along. They found a third spot and continued with their Bible study. When the police officer came by them at this location he asked, “What are you doing?”

Lena said, “We are having a Bible study.”

The officer smiled and said, “O.K.” He did not ask them to move again.

They were able to continue meeting in this location. There are more than five ladies in the group, but current COVID-19 restrictions limit groups to six people. Lena asked the five ladies who were present at this first meeting to meet with other ladies in the group to do the Bible study with them. In this way, restrictions during this season have helped these believers become leaders and disciple-makers.

*Names changed for security reasons