A Pilot Risks Persecution to Share Christ in His Homeland I personally know believers and pastors ((music playing)) who have lost their lives because of their faith. Missionaries, pastors, leaders being burned alive, being beheaded or being beaten down to death, all that happening in my country because we live under discrimination and ((music playing)) persecution. If following Jesus Christ and a life of persecution and hardship, would you still choose to follow Jesus? Bos Hammad did ((music playing)) gladly and willingly. He's the man you just heard. From giving his life to Christ in a country where doing that could cost you your ((music playing)) life to becoming a missionary to the people of his nation. Bosset's story is ((music playing)) one of resilience and hope in Jesus Christ. You're about to hear it on this episode of GPS. God, people stories, an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I'm Jim Kirkland. All through the Bible, we're taught that the upright man, the Christian, will suffer persecution from a godless, unbelieving, secularistic world. Jesus said, "Because the world hated me, it will hate you also." >> That's Billy Graham. More later from him on what the Bible says about the persecution of Christians, as well as the hope Christians have in spite of their challenges. But if you need to know more right now about the hope Christians have, we invite you to visit our website, find peacewithgod.net. When you're there, click where it says begin a relationship with Jesus. That'sind peacewithgod.net. You can also call us if you'd like to talk with someone at the Billy Graham 247 prayer line. 855255 pray. That's 8552557729 and we have the website link and phone number in our show notes. >> GPS God >> people stories. >> Bosset Hammad was born and raised in a Christian ((music playing)) family in a country where Christian evangelism is not welcome. We're not going to share the name of his home country so as not to jeopardize any ministry work there be it now or in the future. 99.8% of the total population are non-Christians in my country and me living with my family in my country faced religious discrimination and persecution. My dad was rejected several good jobs because of his faith. >> Religious persecution in the job market for Bosett's father meant that Bosett and his family lived in poverty. >> Sometimes all we have to eat is just bread and water. And when I talk about bread, it's just bread. No sides, no fancy ranch, nothing else. just spread water was also one of the big challenges. >> When he was just 10 years old, Bosset walked about a mile each way to get clean drinking water for him and his family. At school, Bosset faced the same rejection in the classroom that his dad had faced in the workplace. I was the only Christian student studying in my school and I was often being rejected by other students. They did not wanted to sit with me uh share their meals with me or sometime even play with me. That rejection hit boss it hard. One day after school, he asked his parents, why is this happening to me? And they always tell me to stand firm in the Lord and he got you human in the hardest of situations. And that's where I memorized my very favorite verses from book of proverbs. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean onto your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all thy ways and he shall direct your path. >> And God started to direct his path when Boset was 13. One day at his church, his Sunday school teacher announced that all the children would be receiving special gifts from the United States. These gifts were part of Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse, a sister ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. >> Before that, I have never received a gift in my life before. So, I was just so happy and very excited that I might receive that gift. And finally, after two weeks, the day came. >> It was a Friday. After school, Bosset went to the church as instructed. He had high hopes of receiving a gift. >> As soon as I entered into the church, I saw there was joy in the air. There was kids who were running from one corner to another. They have already opened up their shoe boxes. They have the toys or the stuff that they have got. They're showing it to their parents and to their friends. There was some people who asked me to stand in the line and wait for my turn. And that's exactly what I did. And finally after a little bit I was handed over a beautiful colorful Operation Christmas Al shoe box and I was so happy. I was so excited. Boss had held the shoe box very close to his heart. He looked up and said, "Thanks, God." The shoe box and the anticipation of the items inside of it was so precious to Bosset that he didn't open his box immediately. He waited until he got home and there on his bed he opened it. >> There were some school supplies. There were some stationary supplies, some markers, some crayons, some coloring books, some tennis balls, some toys that I can play with and share with my friends and my siblings. But one of the most precious thing that I received in my shoe box was a picture Bible. >> Bosset's Sunday school teacher had used a picture Bible to teach his class. He had always wanted his own to see Bible stories like Jesus on the cross or David facing off against Goliath. >> That was something that I really loved. But I didn't have my own picture Bible because Christian resources at that point in my country were very few and they were very hard for us to get. But my mom always used to tell us to pray about the things that we need and God will provide us at the right time. So, I just did that and I was praying to God and that picture Bible was an answer to my prayers and that picture Bible became a treasure for me. I'll spend hours studying and reading from that. There was a problem, however. The picture Bible was in English, not Bosett's heart language. Still, he creatively found a way around the language barrier to put the Bible to good use. Every time I will open up that picture Bible and show it to my mom and she will give me the Bible reference of that story in my language and that's how I will read the Bible story and look at those pictures. Out of all the kids who received Operation Christmas Child boxes at the church that day, it seemed like God meant for that particular shoe box gift to land in Bosset's hands. Boss had started attending Sunday school more regularly and understood the importance of prayer and God in his daily life. But nevertheless, he still wrestled with doubts and questions about God for several years. At 16, Bosset was struggling with those concerns when he had a small accident at a youth camp that would lead to a big change in his life. >> The preacher was a rock climbing guy and he was giving us a glimpse of how rock climbing works. So he tied down the ropes to a two-story building and he was just letting everybody go down by wearing the belts on them. And whenever my turn came, I was just having a macho attitude because there were some girls that I really liked and I was just trying to have that attitude in front of them that, hey, don't tell me what to do. I got this. Just trying to be cool in front of them. >> Trying to be cool almost cost Boss at a very high price. His fingers almost got crushed in the rock climbing gear and he nearly flipped over while slowly making his way down the two-story building. I was very upset because I made a fool of myself in front of everybody because I was trying to be cool. And the preacher just came, everybody just came and started to ask me if I'm good or if I need anything. And the preacher came as well and started to ask me if I need something. >> Embarrassed just wanted to go back to his room. Whenever I started to walk towards my cabin, the preacher came and started to talk to me and asked me several questions and I started to ask him that why did Jesus give his life for me on the cross? If God is sovereign, why doesn't he saves me? Why doesn't he provides me for the needs? I'm living in poverty and stuff. And he answered my question starting from the creation from God all the way to the message of salvation and gave me all of the biblical references. >> Boss had asked the pastor these questions in confidence. He didn't want anyone in his family or friends or community to know that would potentially bring shame upon them. After the talk, he walked on to his cabin and during my time alone in the cabin, I was just praying and then in the evening session, he was particularly talking about John 3:16. And that's where I heard the message and I understood that I'm a sinner and I need a savior. and I went up and I confessed there that I'm a sinner and I that's the time when I gave my life to Christ. >> Bosset understood just how challenging it could be to follow Christ in his anti-Christian country. Yet he wanted a relationship with God anyways. >> I personally know believers and pastors who have lost their lives because of their faith. Missionaries, pastors, leaders being burned alive, being beheaded or being beaten down to death. all that happening in my country because we live under the religious discrimination and persecution. But there is one thing that I knew that I'm saved and that was the joy because I'm saved from God's wrath and that was just so precious and amazing for me. So I would say that I know it is challenging. I know it's difficult but there are believers in my country and they find joy if they will get persecuted on God's name. After surrendering his life to God, Boss had started to serve in his local church. >> I play a musical instrument which is very common played in my country and in the surrounding countries and I started to play that instrument and I also started to serve with my pastor and we will go into the streets and do street evangelism and one time I saw some other missionaries. The other time I will see some other pastors doing the street evangelism into the streets. Seeing people share the gospel in the streets made Bosset think about those who don't have access to good roads. He realized no one was taking the gospel to them. I started to pray about it and I started to talk to my pastor that what we can do to go and talk to these people and share the gospel with them. And my pastor came up with this idea that we should do some hiking trips back and forth into those villages, build a relationship with these people and then share the gospel with them. Bosset was excited about his pastor's idea. They made a few trips, but soon they had to stop. >> We were living under poverty. We didn't have the proper gears and equipments to do those hiking trips. The last trip that we did was about 10 hours hike back and forth and it started to rain. It was really cold and whenever the team got back, everybody got sick and they decided that we're not going to do it anymore unless we have the proper gears and equipments. But Bosset wasn't going to give up on those villagers. He prayed for God to make a way to build a relationship with these people and share the good news with them. >> One day I thought that maybe I can rent a helicopter or a small aircraft and I can go into those villages and that would be very easy. I can go in the morning, do whatever I have to do all day and then come back in the evening. And I looked on internet and I find out that there is no civil aviation in my country. And the only aircraft that I can hire is military aircraft which is very very expensive. Like it was more than three jobs that I was doing at that time to support myself, my education and my family. >> Months went by while Bosset kept praying for an open door. Through online research, he came across several mission aviation organizations and he started reaching out to them. So I started to send them emails and I was like, "Why don't you come to my country? There's a big need of the gospel." >> One of the organizations in Alaska wrote back to Bosset. They said they'd be very glad to help, but they were unable to do their ministry in Bossit's own country. They couldn't do what he ultimately could do. So they suggested he come to the United States to get his flight training to become a missionary pilot back in his country. I was very excited and I was young and I'm just thinking that next week I'm going to US, following week I'm going to be a pilot and the following week I'm going to come back and be a missionary pilot in my country. But it didn't work that way. >> It would take Bosset 9 years to build relationships and raise the support he needed to go to the United States. Some of the hardest moments of Boss's life were lived in that near decade of waiting and trusting God. even made a backup plan just in case things didn't work out. >> I was planning on taking a loan and starting a business in my country, and with that income, I can start a youth camp and youth ministry in my country. >> Some of Bosset's most difficult times of discouragement were about to come. Yet, those times would be some of the best times for receiving encouragement from God. God was speaking to me through the scriptures and every single day was a new scripture that will come and I'm like okay I need to trust in him and he's going to make things right and whatever it's his will is it's going to happen. >> Nonetheless the odds seemed to be stacked against Boset. I had a very bad reputed passport, no travel history. And whenever I was applying for US visa, everybody around me, the the consultants, everybody was telling me that I'm not going to be able to go to US because there is no chance they're going to give me the visa because all of the negative things that are happening with me and the scenarios that were with me were all negative that I'm going to get visa. There was no chance. Their words influenced Bosett and he started to believe them. He called the president of the Bible college he was trying to attend overseas saying he didn't think he was going to receive his visa. Bosset asked why don't we spend that money to do some mission work here in my country and he told me this thing that has always outto stood with me that prayer is the nerve that moves the muscle of God. And he tells me that we walk by faith and not by sight. and he told me that how many people are praying for me so just keep applying and if it's God's will it's going to happen. >> In 2021, Bosett was finally able to come to the United States. He was admitted to a Bible college. His first steps in becoming a missionary pilot. He considers it a complete miracle. But that miracle also led him to another one. Meeting the woman who would become his wife. In 2022, whenever I was in my Bible college, I went on a Sunday to my church, like as a regular church, and I saw this Operation Christmas Child posters there and I was like, I know these people. I know them. They were in my country and I received a shoe box. So, I sit down into the service and whenever my pastor came, I told him that I know these people and I received a gift just the same one whenever I was in my country. So then he went up onto the stage and while closing, he told everybody that there's shoe box recipient that we have here. Afterward, the Operation Christmas Child representatives connected Bosset with Samaritan's Purses headquarters. They asked Bosset if he wanted to be a volunteer spokesperson and after prayer, he accepted. It was at his spokesperson training that Bosset met his future wife. Since then, Bosset has graduated with a master's in ministry, become a pilot, and as of this recording, he's in process of being ordained at his local church. As a missionary, he formed a nonprofit for reaching groups of people around the world who have never heard of Jesus Christ, including groups of people in his home country. I'm in the process of support raising, but once that's finished, then my wife and I, we are hoping to relocate in my country and we're going to be doing full-time long-term missions there and there's a big need of the sound doctrine in my country and there is a big need of the gospel in my country and we want to do that and God is slowly opening up the door of aviation as well. So, I'm going to start very soon my flight training again and see that how God can use that in my country. But our long-term mission is to serve him in any capacity that ((music playing)) he wants us to do to serve God in any capacity ((music playing)) he wants. That's a great example to us to boldly share with people the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter our circumstance. If you'd like to know more about who this Jesus Christ is, we can help you with that. Visit our website at findpacewithgod.net. When there, click on begin a relationship with Jesus. That's atind peacewithgod.net. You can also find a link to the website in our show notes. In just a minute, Bosset will share about trusting God regardless of difficulties or even the threat of persecution. You're listening to GPS God, ((music playing)) people stories, a podcast production of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. All through the Bible, we're taught that the upright man, the Christian, will suffer persecution from a godless, unbelieving, secularistic world. >> Billy Graham. >> Jesus said, "Because the world hated me, it will hate you also." He said, "Because I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hated you." Nowhere in the Bible do I read that Christians should expect it to be normal to be popular or comfortable or successful in the eyes of this world. In some parts of the world today, it still means physical persecution and suffering to become a Christian. However, Jesus also said, "Blessed or happy are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were brought before you." In other words, Jesus said, "You will be blessed and happy and have special compensations and rewards. If you suffer persecution and if you suffer death, God wants men and women who will live the Christian life today and every day." In living that life, I can assure you that you will find a peace and a joy that you've never known before. In the midst of suffering or persecution or even death, I'm asking you today, whoever you are, to say yes to Jesus Christ. To say, I too will follow him to the death of sin and self in my own life. I do want to commit myself to him. I want to share in his glory that is yet to come. Learn more ((music playing)) about being bold in your faith and standing strong for Jesus Christ by visiting our website, find peacewithgod.net. net. When you're there, look for grow in your Christian faith and click there. That's at find peacewithgod.net. And if you'd like to speak with someone right now, there's someone waiting at the Billy Graham 247 prayer line. 855255 pray. That's 8552557729. Once again, 855255 pray. Our guest on this episode of GPS is Bosset Hammad. As a man who has faced religious persecution, most of us will never know. We asked Boset what's the one thing we could learn from him. Here's his response. I think that the biggest that I would tell is that trust in the Lord and lean on onto your own understanding. Acknowledge him and all thy ways and he shall direct your path. We know that in our circumstances things can go down the road and it's very easy to question God or to question as why this is happening with me or like why God is not talking to me or why God is not opening up this thing like what am I going to do or what's going to happen with my life but pray is the number one thing pray and with prayerful consideration seeking God's guidance and God's wisdom on what he wants in their lives and I want to tell this to everyone on that great commission is for everybody. It's not a suggestion. It is great commission for everybody to go and make disciples of all nation. Every Christian is bound to great commission. And God has a way that he's going to use us for his kingdom and for his glory. We're grateful Bosidet Hammad joined us on this episode of GPS God people stories. He continues in his calling as a missionary and volunteer spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child as well as a husband and now father. If stories like Bossets encourage you, and who can't use a little more encouragement, why don't you hit the subscribe button on YouTube or your favorite podcast app? In the middle of life, GPS will be there for you in the middle of the week, every other Wednesday. I'm Jim Kirkland and this ((music playing)) is GPS, God, People, Stories. It's an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Always good news. ((music playing))