From Assassin To Disciple Maker
In 2003, a young Kurdish man named Rezo walked into a church service with a knife in his pocket and murder in his heart. He had learned that a man named Varo—a fellow Kurd, but now a Christian pastor—would be there that day. Rezo saw Varo as a threat. A traitor. Someone whose influence needed to be stopped. And in his mind, the way to stop him was simple: kill him. Varo was sitting in the front row when Rezo slipped into the sanctuary. He chose a seat just one person away. Close enough to strike. Close enough to finish what he came to do.
Then—something happened.
In the middle of the service, the man sitting between them stood up and walked away. Rezo felt the moment open like a door. This was it. His chance. All he had to do was slide over one seat. But before he could move, Varo did. The pastor Rezo planned to stab slid toward him—closed the space between them, put an arm around Rezo's shoulders, and with the most natural warmth said, “I’m so glad you’re here. God loves you, my brother.” And something inside Rezo collapsed. Hatred melted into confusion. Confusion into conviction. Conviction into surrender. Within weeks, the man who came to kill a pastor became a follower of Christ. Rezo and Varo—once potential murderer and intended victim—became friends. And then brothers. And then co-laborers. Twenty years later, they still are.
Fast Forward Two Decades
Rezo now leads Kurdish ministry in his country and the wider region. He’s planting churches, discipling leaders, and equipping a new generation of Kurdish believers. And GO InterNational—through a series of providential connections—began walking with Rezo, helping resource his ministry with disciple-making tools. One tool rose to the top: The Master Plan of Evangelism. It’s been translated into more than 130 languages around the world. But never into Kurmanji—the heart language of millions of Kurds. So through The Coleman Project, GO helped Rezo begin a Kurmanji translation.
And that’s when God wrote another chapter that no strategist could have planned.
Rezo needed help—someone who knew Kurmanji deeply, who understood Scripture, and who could work alongside him to translate faithfully. So he reached out to the person he trusted most. Varo. The pastor he once tried to kill. Today, Rezo and Varo sit side by side—one translating, the other editing—bringing The Master Plan of Evangelism into Kurmanji for the very first time. Their work will equip pastors, fuel discipleship, strengthen the church, and multiply impact for decades to come.
Two Kurds.
Once enemies.
Now friends, brothers, partners.
The translator and the would-be victim—telling the story of Jesus together in the language of their people.
Only God writes stories like this.
Dr. Curtis Elliott serves as Vice President of GO InterNational, bringing deep experience in global missions, leadership, and partnership development. With a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary, Curtis has led and mobilized teams across cultures, facilitated global partnerships, and served in local ministry in the Republic of Georgia. Before joining GO, he worked with organizations including The Salvation Army, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, and Adventures in Missions. At GO, Curtis champions the global Church—equipping leaders and advancing gospel-centered collaboration around the world.
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