Petrina

She was led to Jesus in a border town. Iran, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, the other Stans … these all share a similar culture, and yet are deeply tribal. Most tribes are sworn to codes of honor that include revenge, which is fueled and used by bigger regional powers to incite wars that become religious. So it doesn’t matter which border town. But it does matter that she met Jesus. That only happened because there is an Impact Team there.

Petrina was set on Fire. She had never heard this Good News and she proved not only teachable, but creative and eager to take the Gospel further. She has now planted several underground churches and is currently in a new nation, reaching refugees with the Impact Team. They are training new church planters in a new people group and language - one which is considered the largest unreached people group in the world.

But how could a mere woman, from a broken past not only start churches and shepherd leaders, but also leave them equipped and go to a new field? Jesus. Just like Phillip went to Samaria, and then was told to go and catch up with the eunich in the desert; just like Priscilla was a church planter in Ephesus; like Chloe of Corinth … and the list goes on.

Petrina risks her life to share the Gospel. The fruit is glorious and eternal. Pray for Petrina and the others like them who are able to get in behind the curtain, because they belong to the culture. They are discipled and given strong covering by the Impact Teams, and in this way, church planting is possible. Thank you for being a part of this underground! It is both an underground church and an Underground Railroad, because women like Petrina know where to find those who are lost and broken.