Adoniram and Ann Judson were the first Christian missionaries to the country of Burma. They were warned when they went there in 1814 that the country would never respond to the Good News of Jesus, as everyone there was of a different religious conviction. But Adoniram’s goal was to translate the Bible and leave behind a church with 100 believers in it.
Adoniram spent three years learning the language, working 12 hours each day. During this time, he and his wife had very little contact with anyone who spoke English. He finished the gospel of Matthew in Burmese in 1817, and started sharing the Good News Gospel publicly after that. It took two more years before any Burmese people received Christ.
By 1822, there were twelve believers in Burma. This is quite different from our mass evangelistic festivals where hundreds of people come to know the Lord in one night. But Judson was patient. He waited on the Lord and was strong and courageous, even when he was imprisoned and lost family members. When he died after almost 40 years in Burma, he left behind a completed Bible, a Burmese dictionary, and hundreds of Burmese Christians leading the church.
Adoniram Judson trusted God to bless Burma. Like him, you and I must continue to work hard to reach our world for Christ. We must be patient for God to change the hearts of those around us.
This is Luis Palau.