Ravi From Iran
A life-changing cab ride
In an unusual series of events, the Lord has used SAT-7, a dream, and a cab ride to guide one man to a church in his hometown.
Like millions across the globe, Ravi* was spending the evening at home in Iran watching satellite TV. He came across SAT-7 PARS while channel surfing. The programme talked about the miracles and teachings of Jesus. Engrossed in the programme, he knew he had to learn more. The show hosts invited viewers to call the studio and displayed a phone number on the screen.
Ravi weighed his options. If he called the number, he could be interrogated or even put in prison. But an intense curiosity won him over and he grabbed a pen and paper to jot down the number.
At the worst possible moment, the power went out and the TV blinked off. Ravi was frustrated – now there was no way to call. With no other options, he went to bed. Ravi dreamed about a man wearing a white robe. The man told Ravi, “I am Jesus Christ. Follow me.”
Just then, Ravi woke up. He could not believe what he had seen. He had to find out more about this person named Jesus! He called his friend, Zolan*, and asked if they could meet to talk about the dream. The friends decided to meet in a cab so they could talk privately.
Rendez-vous
The next morning, sitting in the backseat, they quietly discussed Ravi’s dream. Ravi asked, “Zolan, what should I do? Jesus appeared to me. Where should I go?” But Zolan just replied with another question, “How should I know? Jesus appeared to you, not me. You have to find your own way.”
Unknown to the friends, the cab driver was eavesdropping and chimed in on their conversation. He told Ravi, “Don’t worry; I know exactly where you can go to find answers. I will take you there.” Much like Ravi, the cab driver had also had a dream of Jesus. He told the men that once he became a believer, he was a new person in Christ. They waited anxiously as he drove them to an undisclosed location.
The driver stopped in front of a building and led Ravi upstairs. There, he introduced Ravi to a secret house church, one of thousands of small Christian groups meeting in the city. Believers at the house church gave Ravi a Bible and presented the Gospel to Ravi.
The search for truth had led Ravi to this pivotal moment, and he became a believer. Excited to learn as much as possible about his newfound faith, Ravi attended house church meetings and watched SAT-7 regularly.
God had used SAT-7 as both the catalyst for Ravi’s spiritual search, and as a means for him to grow more mature in his faith as a believer.
Photo by Hamed Massoumi/Flickr Creative Commons
*Names have been changed for privacy