Mp3 Players Help Reach Entire Villages
When 13 year old Ameen was given an Mp3 player, he discovered a new life in Christ that he wants to now share with his whole clan.
Ameen, a student at a madrassa (Islamic school) and the son of an Afghani tribal leader, had a reputation as a rude and rebellious boy. But when his attitude and actions suddenly became strangely polite and cooperate, his father’s curiosity was aroused. “What prompted the change?” he asked his son.
“It is because of what I’ve learned about God in the past two days and His purpose for my life,” Ameen explained, as he showed his father an mp3 player he received from Akhtar, an evangelist serving with FMI’s partners in northeast Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan. Nearly 800,000 Afghan refugees, like Ameen’s family, reside in 43 camps across Pakistan.
Keys for Kids, a gospel ministry out of Grand Rapids MI, wrote the scripts for a year’s worth of story-based daily devotional content and provided music and special audio effects for the project. FMI translated the scripts into Urdu, recorded the various roles, and uploaded digital content on thousands of dedicated mp3 players with built-in solar panel chargers, and distributed them to children and families inside Pakistan. Just like Ameen, kids across the country were captivated by the content designed just for them which pointed them to Christ.
Ameen confessed to his father that he listened to so many of the stories and Bible verses on the device that he even skipped classes at the madrassa just to listen to them repeatedly. The transformation his father observed happened because Ameen was feeding his spirit with God’s truths instead of the notions of radical Islam.
Ameen’s father was intrigued and wanted to know more, so he phoned Akhtar. During that conversation, the tribal chief requested more of the devices for other children, and he invited Akhtar and other FMI evangelists to come to their village. The following day, Akhtar and his team reached the camp with 200 devices to share. Ameen’s father warmly welcomed them into his temporary shelter and offered them tea. This meeting was a great opportunity for FMI partners to share the Lord’s love with the tribal leaders. The FMI shared some scripture before distributing the devices. Ameen eagerly helped with the distribution. Ameen’s father requested the FMI team to stay in contact and visit them in the future.
FMI is honored to partner with Akhtar to empower him to deliver eternal truth through his bold preaching in high-risk areas. We appreciate prayers and gifts shared with partners like him so that families like Ameen’s can be transformed by the truth and hope found only in Jesus Christ. To support a partner, click HERE.
