Are you an electrician?

This question startled Vadim, a member of our 30-strong evangelism team, on a recent trip to Siberia’s North, causing him to turn around. Standing there was a Tatar man in his fifties, dressed as most village men in a thick coat and floppy eared fur hat.

“Why would he ask me this?” Vadim thought, “we are here to tell people about Chri…” and then he realized the culprit for man's confusion:

Vadim had on bright orange pants, the kind that utility workers wear in extreme Siberian weather. It was a cold February Thursday, and he walked from house to house for several hours, so his choice of pants was very sensible for that day.

Have you ever felt that God ordained a divine appointment for you with someone, but at the same time you felt inadequate, not knowing how to respond? If you answered yes, this makes you…normal!

Breathing a quick prayer “Lord, help me speak of You to this man,” Vadim answered “Well, sure! What seems to be the problem?” His philosophy was to never let an opportunity go to waste.

Turns out, Aynur had an issue with his wiring. Looking at the electrical box Vadim quickly diagnosed the problem — an ancient breaker got corroded and would lose connection intermittently. After checking a couple other things and ensuring that everything else was safe Vadim finally said: “you know, the Most High, who created Light, sent me to you today…”

Aynur, as a typical Muslim believed that God was the Creator, but he didn’t know Him. However, his culture elevates hospitality to a virtue, so while he was heating water for tea and setting the table with Qabartma, küzikmäk and other Tatar dishes, Vadim poured out his heart preaching Christ…

Sometimes we care too much beforehand about what to say when the moment comes. While it is imperative to be prepared to “give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear,” it is equally important to be led by the Spirit of God.

God, who can speak through anything, from donkeys to rocks, is definitely able to use orange utility pants to bring the Gospel to a needy soul.