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| Elena & Elkana at one of our favorite bakeries/coffee shops |
Elkana & Elena began attending BBC during the summer of
2018 upon the recommendation of a counselor connected with the Master’s College
in CA. That same counselor and his family generously let us live in
their apartment our first year in Beijing.
We have really enjoyed getting to know Elkana & Elena over the
past several months by spending quite a bit of time with them. Elkana (he is Italian)
and Elena (she is Welsh) married a few years ago and have been involved in
teaching English as a second language in several different countries. They came
to Beijing so she could teach English while he concentrates on an online biblical
counseling degree through the Master’s College. They are both serious and
funny, intelligent and passionate, and like most newly married couples, still
figuring out married life.
Elkana shared with us the story of how God rescued him from his
sin and what God has been doing in his life. As he tells it, he grew up in a
Christian family and although he considered himself a Christian and even
studied theology, he lived a life of sin. His first marriage ended in divorce
then he had a few long-term, live-in relationships. One day after marrying his
wife Elena, God used a YouTube video entitled "Are You Really a
Christian?" to challenge his relationship with Jesus Christ. Upon
conviction, Elkana repented of his sins and placed his faith in Jesus Christ.
In the short time we have known them, we see Elkana growing in his
relationship with Christ, desiring to serve the church, and learning how to
love his wife. Much of our conversations revolve around what does it look like
in real life to love his wife like Christ loves the church, His bride. One day
Elena confessed: “he’s not the same person I married.” The gospel continues to
transform both of them and we thank God for the privilege to participate in
that transformation.
Below is a picture of Elkana’s baptism on September 16, 2018.
Rejoice in the Lord’s work and please pray that He will continue
the good work He has begun.
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