If you’ve ever seen Disney’s Aladdin, you might remember that Princess Jasmine’s father was referred to as “Sultan.” If that has been your only exposure to the term, you might not realize that “sultan” was his title—not his name. In Arabic, the term “sultan” means “authority,” and refers to a Muslim ruler who claims full sovereignty. In some parts of the world, Sultans still exist today. 

Some regions of the Central African Republic (CAR) that are dominated by Islam are currently governed by sultans. Because these regions are so unreached, some of our partners have been trying to bring the gospel there. But these sultans don’t allow many individuals or nonprofits to enter. Our partners have tried to enter a number of times, and have even tried starting a school there, but all their attempts have been unsuccessful. 

Instead of giving up, our partners persisted, and eventually God had them cross paths with a sultan’s daughter. No, she didn’t have a pet tiger like the Disney princess! But as they interacted, they found out she suffered from a chronic bleeding condition. 

Eager to share Jesus’s power with her, they prayed—and God answered. God miraculously healed her of the condition! As a result, the sultan completely changed his attitude towards them, and God opened the doors for our partners to start a school in that region.

We are in awe of the way God healed the sultan’s daughter and allowed Charis workers to enter. God’s heart is for all people groups to be unified in Jesus, and if we just give Him our loaves and fish, He uses them to perform the miraculous work of reaching the unreached!