Although originally from another region, Pastor Talon had served in Saron since his days as a Bible college student. In those early years of ministry, Talon developed a profound burden for the village and its surrounding areas. Now, as a pastor, he was known as a man of prayer, often seeing God answer with miracles of healing or deliverance.
Keziah, on the other hand, had grown up in Saron. Ever since she’d met Jesus, she had been consumed by a zeal for her own people. She must have known Pastor Talon’s reputation for prayer, but as she said her wedding vows that day in November, she likely had no idea just how many amazing things God had in store for this new season of her life.
Building a Team
As a couple, Keziah and Talon made an incredible team. Together, they visited people who needed prayer, offered practical help—such as food, medicines and mosquito nets in the wake of a local flooding crisis—and prayed for people over the phone when they called with requests for healing or deliverance. Over and over, God answered their prayers. And over and over, people experienced Christ’s love. The church at Saron grew.
Keziah expanded local ministry to a group of people who would have been challenging for Pastor Talon alone to serve: women. Every week, Keziah gathered the ladies of the church for a Women’s Fellowship meeting, leading them in prayer and a Bible lesson. She also led them in service to their community and ministry in the slums, working alongside them to reach even more women with the hope and love of Christ. More than just a Bible study or even a ministry group, the Women’s Fellowship was Keziah’s team as she and Talon continued to serve their community and pray for those in need.
A Woman in Need of Hope
One Friday, six years after her wedding, Keziah was meeting with members of the congregation, including many of the Women’s Fellowship sisters, for a regularly scheduled time of fasting and prayer. As they prayed for the many people they knew needed healing, two women walked into the church building. One of the visitors, Sora, wanted prayer, and Keziah and her team listened as Sora poured out her story.
Originally from Saron, Sora and her husband, Mael, had left their families and moved to a neighbouring town for his job. Even though their new home was within traveling distance of her native village, Sora hadn’t been back to Saron or visited her family in nearly five years. The reason? For 13 years, she and Mael had been unable to have children.
Her husband was the eldest son in his family, and when people realized that Mael and Sora could not have children, no one wanted to marry Mael’s four younger siblings. Mael’s family blamed Sora for the lack of marriage proposals. The villagers, too, looked down on her because of her barrenness. And so, for five years, Sora had hidden herself away. She did not see her relatives, and she avoided any public functions.
Until now. Sora had come out of seclusion to attend a wedding in her village—a social function she couldn’t politely avoid—and there a friend had told her about the church at Saron.
Now, as she shared her story with Keziah and the sisters, tears rolled down Sora’s round face. She’d heard that God answered prayers with healing and even miracles. Would He do the same for her?
Partnering in Prayer
Keziah’s heart broke for the woman before her. Sora needed a miracle—a miracle that only Jesus could provide. Together, Keziah and the Women’s Fellowship sisters held a special 3-day fast, asking God to act on Sora’s behalf and give her the child she longed for. Keziah and Pastor Talon encouraged Sora to trust Jesus for a miracle.
Less than two weeks later, Keziah got a phone call from Sora. Sora was pregnant! Keziah, her team and the rest of the believers praised God. Truly, He was doing wonderful things.
Sora and her husband decided to trust Jesus with their whole lives, and they started attending the church at Saron. God’s mercy to the couple touched their families, too, as both Sora and Mael’s parents rejoiced with them. Sora began visiting her parents-in-law for the first time in years, staying with them on the weekends so she could attend church services without having to travel the long distance from her own home.
Church Continues to Grow
Sora and Mael were just two of the many new believers in Pastor Talon’s congregation. God continued to answer the prayers of the church at Saron, and each believer had their own story of God’s deliverance in their life. By November 2021—nine years after Keziah and Pastor Talon married—their church had grown to 150 believers.
Now with two sons of her own, Keziah continued to pour into the Women’s Fellowship, equipping the women with the training and encouragement they needed to live godly lives. As a team, they faithfully prayed and shared the hope of Christ with their community. But thanks to her faithful investment, Keziah’s team of sisters also took initiative to share Christ’s love on their own time.
One of these sisters, Ari, lived in a neighbouring village. She was passionate and active in the Women’s Fellowship group, serving as Keziah’s assistant leader and regularly taking part in prayer and ministry. Like Keziah, Ari had a heart for the people in her community—including her neighbour, Perla.
Widow Experiences Christ’s Love
As a widow, Perla lived alone. She survived off her widow’s pension and the money she earned as a domestic worker for wealthy families. Life wasn’t easy, and the arthritis and high blood pressure Perla suffered from made it even more difficult. Ari saw Perla often, and she shared the Good News with her friend, inviting her to attend the church at Saron. Perla was not interested, but she and Ari continued to be friends.
Some time later, Perla had a terrible arthritis flare. The pain was so severe she couldn’t move her knees. Debilitated, all she could do was lie in bed. Ari heard about Perla’s suffering and came to visit her. Ari prayed sincerely for Perla’s healing, and then she went a step farther: She cooked for Perla and helped with other household chores the widow had been unable to attend to.
Ari’s care and help sparked something in Perla’s heart. Normally, Perla served in others’ homes. But now, Ari was serving her … and loving her. And so, when Perla was able to walk again, she accepted Ari’s earlier invitation and attended church for the very first time.
Pastor Talon’s message that Sunday morning encouraged Perla’s heart immensely, and she felt the presence of God in the church at Saron. She began attending church every week, and she also joined Ari and Keziah at the Women’s Fellowship gatherings every Tuesday, praying with them and soaking up God’s Word.
Now, under the shepherding of Pastor Talon, Keziah and Ari, Perla is growing in Christ. Struggles still come, but whenever Perla is sick or her arthritis flares, she knows Who to go to—and she has a joy that even pain can’t take away.
You Can Partner with a Missionary Couple
Through Pastor Talon and Keziah’s partnership and the teamwork of their believers, five additional groups of believers gather for prayer and fellowship in areas that are farther from the main church. As Talon and Keziah organize church events, serve those living in slums, host tailoring classes and pray for hurting people, the couple’s purpose remains the same as it was the day they said their wedding vows: Bring the love and power of Christ to this community where so many are in need of healing and redemption.
In Africa and Asia, couples like Pastor Talon and Keziah are faithfully bringing the Good News of Christ to their communities. Whether they’re serving in their native area or in an adopted village, these brothers and sisters are in it for the long haul, and God is doing incredible things through them and their churches. But they can’t do it alone.
Pastor Talon, Keziah and other couples like them need prayer and financial support so that they can serve with strength for years to come. Would you partner with one of these dedicated families? As a team, you will be reaching a community with the love of Christ—and only time will tell the incredible things God will do through your partnership!