David’s* life was a wreck.
He struggled with alcoholism, abusing his wife, neglecting his children, and living a life steeped in corruption. As a police officer, he accepted bribes, accused the innocent, and perpetuated injustice. His soul was broken, and his family was crumbling under the weight of his sins.
David knew he needed to be healed and wanted to change, but he did not know how that could happen. He had never heard about Jesus.
This is where it gets dangerous. David lived among the Hausa people in Northern Nigeria, where faith is a matter of life and possible death. Scattered across 16 African nations and numbering 86 million, the Hausa are predominantly Muslim. To be Hausa is to be Muslim—anything else is not just a spiritual shift but a perilous decision. Where David lives, openly carrying a Bible could cost you your freedom, or worse, your life. It is a region where covert evangelism is strategically effective.
This is how David met Adam*.
Adam, a member of Spoken Worldwide’s Indigenous Leadership Team serving this Hausa community, invited David to a small discussion group in Central Nigeria. For David, it was just another meeting—nothing more. But God had other plans. That day, the group listened to a story from the Gospel of Mark 2:2-16. It was the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man and forgiving his sins.
Through Bible story telling, God’s Word filled the room and something stirred deep within David. He listened intently as the story unfolded, hearing for the first time about Jesus’ power to forgive and restore. The story struck a chord in his heart.
“When I heard this, I felt that the story was told just for me. It touched my heart deeply. No matter my sins or the life I had led, God could forgive me. At that moment, I made the decision to surrender my life to Jesus Christ. As soon as I did, I felt His peace, and my life began to change. I’m now living peacefully with my family.”
David’s transformation is just one of many unfolding in the Spoken Pastor Development Program for the Hausa people in Nigeria. Since its launch in 2023, the program has established numerous discussion groups with regular participants. These small groups are not merely about listening—they are about changing lives, one heart at a time. Some attendees have already been identified as emerging leaders, ready to carry the gospel to even more people.
The work in Northern Nigeria is far from finished. The danger is real, but the harvest is ripe. Leaders like Adam are equipping others, and stories like David’s remind us of the power of the gospel that brings hope in the most hostile of regions.
You can join this mission. When you give to Spoken Worldwide, you are helping to spread the gospel to those who might never hear it otherwise. Every gift supports this life-changing ministry, enabling the message of salvation to be spoken in the heart languages of those who need it most.
The Scriptures that David heard made the difference. “I learned that Jesus sacrificed His life for us so that we could be free from our sins and our bondage. I learned that Jesus forgives us and sets us free because of our faith in Him.”
Please help Spoken Worldwide take God’s Truth in oral form to more people who need to hear it. Every dollar brings the gospel to four people.
Let us stand together in prayer for Adam, David, and the many others working tirelessly to see redemption in the lives of people who desperately need hope. Every gift, large or small, helps us deliver the Good News to those who might never hear it otherwise.
*Names changed for security reasons.