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Walking the Walls
April 18, 2007

Leslie Mills* regularly prayerwalks around her city to the tune of wailing taxi horns, screeching construction tools, and people yelling that they have something to sell.

Last year Leslie felt God calling her to walk around the former wall of her city, much like Joshua did around Jericho. “I just knew this was part of his plan to overcome the darkness in my city,” she said.

The first day she walked at 7:30 a.m., and every day after began an hour later. While she walked, she prayed. She said hello to kids on their way to school, to migrants collecting trash, and to the lady rolling dough on a street cart.

On the seventh day, Leslie and her husband Mark* set out to walk the trail seven times. They reached the finish line over 11 hours later. “We were exhausted, but God began to work in people’s lives as a result,” Leslie said.

One day while Leslie was walking, she met a lady named Jing* who sells makeup. Each day as she passed the Jing’s apartment, Leslie was able to get to know her and share more about Jesus. Eventually Jing believed, and now introduces Leslie to others who need to hear the Gospel.

Another day Leslie was on a street corner taking a break when she bumped into Tong.* She invited him to her team’s weekly English class, and he showed up. While Leslie was sharing her faith with another student, Tong was listening.

“Does this sound like something you would like to do?” Leslie asked the student.
To her surprise Tong said, “Yes, I want to pray.”

Over several weeks, Leslie discipled Tong and he did not miss a lesson. “He has been one of the most faithful attenders of the English class, and continues to learn about the Bible,” Leslie said.

Leslie also met two more students, Quan* and Li,* one day during her walk. She talked with them and gave them her phone number. Time ticked on and they never called. “I was afraid I would never see them again or have an opportunity to share with them,” she said.

Six months later, a man stopped Leslie during her walk to ask directions to the nearest bus stop. “I thought this was really weird because he was asking me, a foreigner, and there were plenty of locals around,” she said.

Two young men came over to offer help. After they told the man where to find the bus stop, one of them said to Leslie, “Hey, you look familiar. I met another lady named Leslie in this city not too long ago.”

Leslie recognized them as Quan and Li. She found out Quan was a believer, but Li was not. That night, Quan led Li to Christ.

Despite a busy schedule, Leslie continues to walk and pray around her city early in the morning. “I keep it as a priority because it grows my love for the people and gives me opportunities to meet more people whom God is already working in,” she said.

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