— Excerpted from Along Unfamiliar Paths (Marlene Muhr, 1982), p. 44–47

In God’s Word we are instructed to love the stranger and not to oppress him,
“…for you know the heart of a stranger, seeing you were strangers in the land
of Egypt.” We are to gather strangers within our gates, “that they may hear,
and learn, and fear the Lord…”

A couple who spent time visiting the homes of foreigners in Germany told us, “It is amazing to see how, through your recordings, we found the way to their hearts.”

The way to their hearts! As we drew close to our Savior’s heart, we seemed to hear their hearts throbbing. And as we saw Him in His stable, and His strange surroundings, we saw their bewilderment. He was peaceful, but they were gripped with a type of anguish known only by those who have been uprooted and transplanted into another world. He was a stranger; so were they. He had come to love them back to fellowship with God, but they were ignorant of it.

The late ’60’s saw an ever-increasing flux of laborers into Germany, exceeding 50,000 people per month. Christian leaders started
calling to the Church, “Wake up, Christian world! The mission field is at your
doorstep! Never before have we had such an opportunity…”

As a response, witnessing in the streets and markets was organized. Hearts
were encouraged and vision became reality. “It is our desire that no guest
worker in our town will go back to his country without having heard the
Gospel message.” And many did hear the Word.