It had taken months to find the right time. Between school, work, and life’s busyness, Joyce and Tivia had struggled to connect. But now, at last, they sat across from each other in a local café—two friends from very different worlds: Joyce, a 60-year-old follower of Jesus, and Tivia, a 20-year-old Hindu.

Their conversation began with the usual updates—school, upcoming events, and the daily juggle. But then it shifted. They began talking about the recent death of a mutual friend and how it was impacting their community.

“Tivia, where do you think you’ll spend eternity?” Joyce asked gently.

Tivia paused, then replied thoughtfully:

“In Cherrybrook—the suburb where all my friends live.”

Cherrybrook is indeed a beautiful, green part of Sydney. But her answer showed that she had a very different way of thinking about what happens after death.

Joyce smiled and shared how, years ago, a friend at university had asked her the same question. At the time, she said she hoped to go to heaven, but she wasn’t sure if she was good enough.

That friend, Sandy, had gently explained that it’s not about being good—it’s about trusting that Jesus has already made the way. Joyce then gave a simple summary of what Sandy had shared, using a short presentation called The Four, which uses four symbols:

• A heart – God loves you and wants you to live a full, meaningful life.
• A division symbol (÷) – Our disobedience separates us from God.
• A cross – Jesus died to bring us back into relationship with God.
• A question mark – What will you do with this message?

Tivia listened respectfully, but Joyce could see she didn’t quite understand. She didn’t press. As their time came to a close, she handed Tivia a card with link to a website: everyperson.com.

“Maybe take a look when you have time,” she said. “And next time we catch up, we can talk about anything that stands out to you.”

Reflections

Here are a few takeaways from this story:

1. Not all questions land the same way across cultures. “Where will you spend eternity?” might seem natural to you, but for someone from a Hindu background, it might feel strange—or even irrelevant. Some people don’t think in terms of eternity at all, or may see it as something to escape, not desire.
   
   
2. Offer something to continue the conversation. Joyce gave Tivia something practical—a next step that was gentle, not forceful.
   
   
3. Expect the journey to take time. Most people don’t come to faith in a single moment. Joyce was willing to walk alongside her friend through many conversations.

What happens next? Only God knows. But we can trust that He is at work in Tivia’s life—and that He will give Joyce more opportunities to walk beside her.

Let's pray:

Lord Jesus, thank you for the many people you have brought into our lives.  Let us be sensitive to their needs and concerns.  Show us how to communicate the message of your love and forgiveness in ways that they will understand.  Time is short -- death, heaven and  hell are real -- and so is your grace. We love you and thank you for the privilege of being your ambassadors. Amen.

Have a great week talking with your friends.

P.S. Who do you think would be encouraged by this email?  Forward it to them and let them know they can walk alongside experienced cross-cultural evangelists by visiting: https://hereslife.com/encouragement