Years ago in a university lecture hall, a student asked the well-known theologian Karl Barth if he could summarize his life’s work in theology in a sentence.

Barth replied, “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned on my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’”

In a very different world, Sina discovered that same truth.

She grew up in Rwanda in a family of seven children. When she was 9 or 10, the terrible Rwandan genocide began. Her father participated in one of the many massacres and he’s still in prison. Sina fled with her mother to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. While there, she was raped and became pregnant.

When she returned to Rwanda, misunderstandings separated her from her mother, and Sina became a prostitute—so she could feed herself and her child. That was her life. 

One day, Sina met a group of people talking about Jesus and sharing God’s Word in her community. They were disciple-makers trained in a local discipleship-mission training program launched with the help of Global Disciples. And visiting Sina’s community was part of their outreach.

As they talked with her, she asked if it were true—did God really exist? And if He did, did He really love her?

Because, Sina said, “I have never known anyone who loves me.”

“Jesus loves me.” This simple yet profound truth reached into Sina’s heart and touched her soul. She saw Jesus as the One who loved her so much that He died for her. And she surrendered to Him as her Savior. Now she says she has peace in her heart. And Jesus is beginning the work of transformation in her life.

So many people in our world are like Sina. The details of their stories may change but the reality remains: They need to know that Jesus loves them. That He laid down His life for them to give them new life here…and for eternity. That’s the message you and I are called to share today.