I've known him since I was 16. He was 19 back then, and a second-year university student. His existential, atheistic attitude towards life drew me to him. Because I grew up in a Christian family and was in a Christian environment most of my life, his blunt renouncement of God and outlook on life was fascinating and different. It also helped that he spoke French fluently and I was learning the language at the time. We would talk about life, debate our differences in religion, discuss evolution and once in a while, confide to one another about insecurities (mostly in English...).

Though I openly admitted to him that I was a Christian, he said he fell in love with me regardless of his contempt for Christians. He casually mentioned one day that he found a mission to open my eyes to atheism. He was joking, I think, but I didn't find it funny at all. I found it strangely ironic and felt guilty at my own growing feelings for him because I was on a personal mission myself to "convert" him. We eventually lost contact when I moved to college and with new surround and new life, but I forgot about him.

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from him. He is on a trip to Vietnam and sent me these pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/100159849468036462670/AlexisTravailEtTransport#

He is on a trip to Vietnam, the same country where I departed to for a short-term missions trip two years ago. As I nostalgically browsed his pictures, I was flooded by memories of how Christ spoke so personally to me on the trip two years ago, how close our team grew and how I finally opened about my eating disorder. The embraces, tears, and warm acceptance that came from my teammates although I have confessed by biggest secret was like how a heavenly family would have felt like to me.

I so long for Alexis to come to know Christ, to know the joy of being in His arms, and to know the freedom from his struggles that Heavenly Father can deliver.

I don't believe that the LORD wants anyone to perish. Alexis admitted once that for an intelligent man like him, who came from a Muslim family and forsook the religion of his family, accepting a Christian God would seem like an insult to him his family. But my heart so longs for Alexis to come to know Christ. I desperately pray, as I have been, that this trip will open Alexis' eyes. That Alexis will come a little closer to knowing Christ, and the soil of his heart will become a bit more fertile to accepting the gospel.

Heavenly Father,

Please be with Alexis as he embarks on this trip.

You know him and desire that he come to know you as well.

Father, protect him and shield him from the enemy who longs to continue to have him in his grasp. Reveal your truth to him through your people, circumstances and the longing in his heart to know the truth. Let him see your light, your grace and your love.