A couple years later, I was involved in early evangelism of three very small tribes who lived three days walk over a rugged mountain range to the south. This was done with the help of Yuna believers.

Each day the people gathered in a house and I would tell Bible stories through an interpreter. The first few days the people listened politely but without much response. On this particular day, I related the story of the woman at the well.  I explained arid climates (something they knew nothing of) and what a well is (their climate is such that never in their lives have they felt a shortage of water). When I finished the story of John 4, lively debate erupted in the languages and I waited in wonder until there was a pause, and I asked the interpreter what was going on. He said something along these lines:

“We are of two different opinions and we don’t know what to think.  Our question is, did Jesus come to our planet or did he go to the moon or somewhere else?”

Confused, I asked for further clarification. He said, “Where Jesus lived, you tell us they had to dig in the ground to get water, that doesn’t sound like our earth, so it must be somewhere else, maybe one of the lights we see in the sky.”

So, the next hour was spent with me trying to convince them that indeed Jesus came to our world to save all of us.  I explained that Israel was in a different part of our world, that people can travel there by airplane. This was interpreted into their languages and they were not impressed.  I then said I have seen pictures of Israel and I know people who travelled there and saw it with their own eyes.  More discussion.  Still not convinced.  I prayed silently asking the Lord for help, then He answered.

I remembered an Israeli student from Bible School, Naphtali, who was actually from Bethlehem.  When this was relayed to the people I could see dramatic change in the room.  When the discussion slowed the interpreter said, “Now we know that Jesus really did come to our earth in order to save us.” Why? “Because we know you, and you personally know someone from Jesus’ clan. So, he could not have gone to another planet, he had to have come here.”

This was a major-breakthrough that so easily could have been missed.