There are moments when someone hears God’s Word – not as something distant or hard to grasp, but as truth that speaks clearly and personally to their heart. For two young men in northern Nigeria, that moment came when they least expected it.
It was Gwak!
Yaya and Musa, friends since childhood, were travelling to a nearby town when they ran into a former teacher. As they stopped to talk, they noticed he was listening to something. The sound caught their attention right away.
It was Gwak – their heart language.
Curious, they asked what it was. He told them it was Scripture – an audio Bible in Gwak. As they listened, they heard passages from the Gospel of Matthew. And for the first time, it made sense. The message wasn’t distant anymore. They understood.
God speaks to every people
They had grown up believing their language was too small and insignificant to carry something as sacred as God’s Word. But in that moment, everything began to change. They saw that God speaks to every people, every community. No one is overlooked.
What started as simple curiosity turned into something more. Over time, they began meeting quietly with their former teacher – listening, asking questions, and leaning in. As they encountered Scripture in a way they could truly understand, their hearts opened to the truth of the Gospel.
The cost
And eventually, both Yaya and Musa chose to follow Jesus – but it was a decision that would cost them.
In the communities where Yaya and Musa grew up, following Jesus isn’t a simple decision – it can come with real risk. And yet, their desire to know Him was stronger than their fear. They chose to leave behind what was familiar so they could follow Christ. With the help of local believers, they relocated to a place where they could grow safely and begin learning what it means to walk with Him.
Today, they’re being cared for, discipled and continuing to grow in their faith – step by step.
God’s Word never returns empty
Their story is a powerful reminder that God’s Word never returns empty. Even in ways we don’t always see, it’s moving – through conversations, relationships and faithful leaders who are sharing Scripture within their own communities. What started with Scripture being translated into Gwak didn’t stop there. As it was shared, it reached two young men who may never have encountered the gospel otherwise.
Source: Spoken Worldwide
