By Gigi Kotze
Hebrews 11 serves as the Christian equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrating heroes who exemplified unwavering love, obedience, and faith in God. In this chapter, we encounter a remarkable list of individuals through whom God worked wonders, showcasing His divine glory. Take Abraham and Sarah, for instance. Abraham obeyed God’s call to an unknown land and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, trusting in God’s promise. Sarah, despite being far beyond the years of childbearing, miraculously gave birth to a child through her unwavering faith.
We also have documented history books of people like Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission, spent 51 years in China adopting local customs to spread Christianity, established mission stations and schools, and emphasised faith-based support, significantly impacting missionary work and the spread of Christianity in China. David Livingstone pioneered mission work in Africa and played a significant role in bringing an end to the slave trade within the region. We have such rich legacies of faith and courage in these spiritual giants.
Across the globe, we have men and women who have counted the cost and heeded the call of Christ to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, some of whom we will never know the names of until we reach heaven. Today, we’re honoured to share the inspiring testimony of a humble yet remarkable hero of faith, who faithfully dedicated his life in service to the Kingdom of God and has now entered into eternal glory.
Amoss faithfully served God on Faza Island, also known as Pate Island, near Somalia. This island is entirely Muslim and very hostile to the message of Jesus Christ. This is also a dangerous area along the Somali coast, where tourists have been kidnapped. A ministry once tried to build a church there, but it was burned down and never rebuilt.
Amoss was the only Christian on the island and lived in complete isolation from other believers in order to live out the calling God placed on his life. He studied to become a teacher with the goal of using his skills for missions. God led Amoss to start a school on this Muslim island, where he worked for over 15 years to spread the Gospel. He registered the school and received praise from the Kenyan government’s education department. Throughout his time there, Amoss faithfully shared the gospel with the children who attended his school.
The school is located in the centre of the village and had a significant impact on its students in many ways. Parents were pleased with how their children were treated at the school, especially compared to other students in the village, where physical and verbal abuse was common. The school provided safe drinking water; however, some students still contracted malaria and suffered from stomach problems due to unsafe water at home. Some students attended Islamic classes in the afternoon, while others chose to stay at the school all afternoon and return home in the evening. This was unusual, as in the past, no child was allowed to enter a Christian’s house without the risk of being beaten.
The extremists hated Amoss and tried many times to get him kicked off the island, but he continued to love them and serve their children. The school’s committee, made up of Muslim parents, defended him and fought to keep him on the island. Sadly, Amoss died this year from pneumonia. After his death, those who knew him said they never heard him complain, despite the many hardships he faced.
Amoss’ story reflects the Scripture from 2 Corinthians 4:6-12: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”
Amoss embodied this passage by shining the light of Christ in a dark place, enduring persecution and hardships without complaining, and demonstrating God’s powerful love through his devoted service. Despite facing many challenges and ultimately losing his life, the life of Jesus was revealed through his actions and dedication. When we one day reach the gates of heaven, Amoss will no longer be an unnamed hero of faith. He faithfully ran the race God set before him and will be rewarded with a crown of glory.
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- Praise God for the work He began through Amoss and pray that the seeds he planted in the lives of his students and their parents will grow, leading to salvation and spiritual fruit in everyone he touched
- Pray for comfort and peace for Amoss’ family as they grieve the loss of a dedicated servant
- Ask God to send more workers to continue the mission in this field
