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Millions of Moroccans from all over Europe pass through Spain on their way to and from their homeland each summer, taking advantage of the short ferry crossing between Europe and Africa. As they wait for their boat, many of these people are happy to talk about Jesus with OM team members.
Rob (UK) worked in Morocco, a majority Muslim nation, for 28 years with his wife, Janet (UK). When the couple left Morocco, they moved to the southern tip of Spain, less than 14km (9 miles) from North Africa.
“It's a wonderful place because so many thousands of Moroccans flow through the ferry ports,” Rob said. “In fact, it's the best place in the world to talk with Moroccans about the gospel because there are so many passing through and we have freedom here to give them scriptures and explain the way of salvation.”
It was this freedom to share the gospel that prompted Rob to suggest that OM run an outreach and training programme in Algeciras, near the Strait of Gibraltar.
For most of the year, Rob works alone with Janet’s support, but during the summer of 2025, nine people, ranging from experienced missions workers to students, joined him for outreach.
"It was a real privilege and blessing to have the young people,” Rob said. “It was also quite demanding because not only was I an evangelist to the Moroccans, but I was also a pastor to the young people. I was encouraged that I can still relate well to 20-year-olds!”
Each day, the team went down to the port by about 08:00, or even earlier if it was going to be a hot day. They would then spend two or three hours going down the lines of cars queuing for the ferry, handing out New Testaments and flyers with details of gospel websites and social media accounts in Arabic.
Rob said, “As I offered an Arabic New Testament, some would accept it and say: ‘thank you’ without wanting to chat, so I'd wish them well and move on. Others would say, ‘Oh, but the Injil (the New Testament) is corrupted’, which leads into a useful conversation. Some would say, ‘ah, but we're Muslims’, and I would reply, ‘yes, this is for Muslims because you believe in the books of God.’
“As the visitors to our team didn't [speak] Arabic, they couldn't [always reply], although I taught them some simple phrases. But they could hold conversations in Spanish, French, English or in German, so I'd encourage them to respond in the languages they knew, or just give the New Testament with a friendly smile, then move on to the next car.”
By midday, the temperature was often too hot to stay outside, so the team would take a break and pray for those they had met before returning to the ferry queue in the afternoon.
Rob said that every day brought its own adventures, with the team never knowing what would happen. "Every day, I was talking with Muslims about the Lord Jesus. Some were interested, some less so, and some were very responsive and thanked me warmly,” he recalled. “One told me, ‘I've been watching gospel broadcasts and I was really wanting to have an Arabic Bible, and now you've given me one. Thank you very much!’
“Another young man said straight off, ‘The only thing to talk about is how to be right with God!’ Another asked me, ‘How can Christ be a Saviour?’ People often tell me, ‘I’ve lived in Europe for many years, but this is the first time I’ve been able to discuss Christianity with anyone.’ One man said, ‘I’ve been hoping to meet someone like you, because I have many questions.’
“Every day, there are two or three highlights – people who really understand the gospel and thank me for it and shake my hand and call down blessings on my head. And that's always wonderful because it's the Lord's doing. Sometimes I'm aware the Holy Spirit is really touching their hearts as we talk.”
Plans are already underway for the 2026 summer outreach, starting in June when many Moroccans travel from Europe to their homeland for the festival of Eid al-Adha, and continuing through July and August for approximately 10 weeks.
Follow-up is done mainly through social media, which has already had a positive response. Rob is hoping to develop this avenue further if someone with social media skills who knows Arabic, or would be prepared to learn it, joins the team.
Rob said, “We also offer a year programme with an intensive course in Moroccan Arabic, weekly seminars discussing many aspects of global mission and ongoing training in outreach to Muslims. We call this the North Africa School of Mission, Algeciras (NASMA)*.”
He added, “Our aim is to pass on to the next generations some of the skills and experience we've picked up over the years, preparing them for gospel outreach in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East — in fact, anywhere in the world.”
Join us in prayer for the 1,000 people who accepted a New Testament and gospel flyer, that they and their friends and families will read the good news and visit the websites and social media pages to learn more. Pray for the team members who took part in the outreach, that they will take what they've learnt and use it to encourage others. Pray for people to sign up for the year-long programme and for next summer’s outreach.
*Click here to learn more about NASMA
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