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Zermatt,
at the foot of the Matterhorn,
is one of the best-known places in Switzerland. Not so
well known is that a number of people who want to follow Jesus there are persecuted
and ostracized, partly by the Roman Catholic church. Peter Kibbel and his
wife, Christians who were living in Rumania until recently, simultaneously
heard God say "Go to Zermatt" while praying one day in early August
1999. Peter Kibbel reports: "We investigated, and heard of some 20
people meeting in a house church there. Because of their opposition to
worshipping Maria and the saints, they are frequently attacked by the
Catholic church. Unable to find the address of the house church, we simply obeyed
God and went to Zermatt.
After arriving, we decided to climb a hill overlooking the village, to pray.
On the way, we noticed a house with a fish sticker on the front door, and
decided to stop to introduce ourselves. A woman opened the door, and we explained
why we were in Zermatt.
She broke down in tears and invited us into the house. We soon discovered
that this was where the house church met, and the woman's family the leaders.
She told us about the difficult times they had been having, and how she had
been crying to God 'Lord, don't let us starve in this valley, don't forget
us!' Suddenly, we showed up on her doorstep to tell her that they were
apparently precious to God - so precious that he sent us from Rumania."
The Kibbels were able to encourage and minister to the church several times.
God forgets no-one...
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