Today a Snake Came to Church

Today a snake came to church. Now, I know what some of you are thinking already. In a lot of churches some who attend might be considered snakes because of the lives that they live. But no; this one that I refer to was a real snake. Not large, probably not poisonous, but all the same a snake. And he crawled right in the front door while we were having services.

Now we have always said that our doors are open to everyone. And in this case it is a new church building in the remote town of Gorblee, Liberia where we had come to have a week long gospel meeting and outreach to this community. Being a new building, that is not even finished we do not even have windows and doors on the building yet, so the snake just crawled in the front entrance.

We were in the middle of our morning lessons and someone yelled out from the back in their “Bassa” language, “SNAKE”. Now I again know what some of you are thinking as you look around your church. But this is Africa, where they take such things as snakes very seriously.

The men near by jumped into action and quickly grabbed sticks and killed the snake and discarded of it. The amazing thing to me was that the preacher kept right on preaching through the whole ordeal without missing a beat or showing any concern for what was going on at the back of the little building.

Now I want to ask you a question; “If a snake came into your church, what would happen.” Would the services go right on as usual without any concern? Would the preacher or teacher keep going with their message with no concern? We would probably all evacuate the building, call animal control and threathen to never come back into the place until we were guaranteed that it was safe. But not here in Africa. Here in Africa it was just a snake that came to church. He was not welcome so he was dispatched. No big deal, just a snake. And the matter was forgotten almost as quick as it had happened.

But not for me! I will remember this day for a long time to come. The Day that a Snake came to Church. In my travels around the world, I have seen dogs, cats, rats, chickens and even a goat come into the church building while we were having services. But this was my first Snake. And I will remember it for some time to come and probably use it as a good illustration in the future.

So next time someone says there are snakes in the church, look around carefully.

There just might be!

Today the Children Spoke Without Saying A Word

Today the children spoke without saying a word! They spoke with their eyes as they looked, stared and questioned their surroundings. They spoke with their expressions as some smiled, others looked down or away and still others had a look of puzzlement. They spoke with their body language as some rushed forward to get as close as possible and others fell back to just blend in among the many others.

Today the children spoke without saying a word. I am here visiting at the Safe Home Children Village, an orphanage here in Flehla, Liberia where over 60 children are now being cared for. They range in age from 2 years up to 14 years of age. And everyone of them has a story that is different, unique, sad, heart wrenching and in some cases just plain pitiful.

Many are orphans because of the sixteen years of war that ravaged this country. Mother’s, Father’s, siblings, killed in a senseless war where no one succeeded. Other’s came here from the death of a mother at childbirth and now there is no one to care for them. Other’s came from homes where they were neglected, abused and used in ways I cannot describe nor discuss.

And still others came from abandonment; children abandoned to fend for themselves in a hard hard world. Take little Benjamin; now six years of age. He was found, abandoned, living in a garbage dump and sleeping in the African bush all alone. He survived for over six months on what little he could salvage to eat in the garbage dump, and trust me, this if Africa where not much of any use it discarded to the dump.

As a result of his treatment, he has some mental challenges, but each day as I would come to the home, he would follow me around and say; “Take my picture, take my picture.” Starved for attention, starved for someone to just care for him and show them that he is loved.

But thanks be to God for little Benjamin and all the other children that have been brought to this Safe Home Children Village where they are loved and cared for. Each day they are fed, bathed and clothed, go to school and receive the medical attention that they would have never received before.

And so each day as I came and visited at the Safe Home Children’s Village; the children spoke to me, and often times without saying a word. They spoke with their eyes, their actions, their gestures and with their little smiles of joy. And by the end of the week of visiting with them, playing games with them, walking and talking with them, I wished that I could bring every one of them home with me. While that is not possible, I am just thankful that they are now at a place where they are cared for, loved and shown the love of Christ.

And even though I could not bring them all home with me, I promised them that I would carry their picture home with me. That each day I would look at their smiling little faces and say a special prayer just for them and their care givers. A prayer for the Safe Home Children Village and for what it is doing to give these children a chance in life that they might have never had otherwise.Today the Children spoke to me!

And it changed my life forever!

For Childrens' full story please see: http://treasureinheaven.org/

Thanksgiving In a Foreign Land

Thanksgiving: aw, the memories; turkey and dressing with all the fixens, green bean casserole, salads, fresh baked rolls, pumpkin pie. More food than the body can stand or needs. Family getting together to just enjoy one another’s company. Thankful for so many blessings, past and present. Thanksgiving, aw the memories.

But here I am 10,000 miles from home, away from family, friends, familiar surroundings. For here in Pujehun, Sierra Leone it is just another day. Another day of work in this remote part of the country. No parades to watch on t.v., no football games; for there is not even any electricity nor tv’s to watch if there was.

For my “Thanksgiving” feast I had a piece of Spam on a day old bread roll. And as I ate my feast for the day, I reflected on Thanksgiving.

The Giving of Thanks! To our God, our Creator!

Am I thankful?

How could I not be thankful for another day of life , doing what I love. Touching lives with the saving message of Jesus Christ. Oh, I miss family and good food, for sure. But at the same I would not want to miss this experience of working with my Brethren here in this part of Africa.

I am thankful, for each new day, for each new experience, for each life that I am able to touch in some small way. God is good.

Thanks be unto God the Father. Pslams 107:1

The First Day the Church met in Murray Town

The work began as a team effort from the very beginning. A group of Brethren from Nigeria saw the need to help evangelize other African nations and so they sent a delegation to evaluate the work in Sierra Leone. Under the name; Nigerian Mission For African Evangelism, they came and saw the potential for the work here. Brother Jeremiah Obot, part of the original team also saw the potential in Murray Town, a predominantly Muslim suburb of Freetown, the capitol city.

When his team left to return to Nigeria, Brother Jeremiah committed to stay behind and try to establish a new work. The Nigerian Team had rented a house in Murray Town where Jeremiah could live and where a new church could meet. His first weeks were frustrating with language barriers, cultural barriers and host of other problems. Murray Town is a predominantly Muslim area and a very poor one at that. But God gave the increase and three were brought to a relationship with Christ after weeks of work.

It was time for our yearly mission travels to Sierra Leone and our team had already decided that we needed to partner with our Nigerian Brother and try to establish the church in this part of the city where it has never existed. Day by day for a week we worked in the Murray Town area going from house to house and studying God’s word with anyone who showed interest. One study would lead to another as they would share their new found faith with their family and friends.

My first study was with a mixed group of Muslims, Catholics and Pentecostal people. We talked about the love of God, Christ coming as our sin offering, and the need for such a savior. One Muslim man at the end of our studies said: “I need this Jesus,” “I need this Savior”. We took him that very hour and witnessed his baptism into Jesus Christ. Over the next days he assisted us in going house to house and setting up many of the studies that lead others to come to Christ.

On Friday evening we showed the “Passion of Christ” in the community and had good attendance from people throughout the area. Even the Muslims came wanting to know more about this Jesus.

That Lord’s day as we met for the first time as the Murray Town church family, we witnessed God’s blessings upon our efforts. During the previous week, eight had been immersed into Christ. On this day, over 30 would come together to worship God, break bread together and listen to the message of God’s word.

What a joy it was to be a part of something that happened for the first time. The first time! The first time the church would meet in this place. The first time these new Christians would come together as the family of God; brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are thankful that our WBS team had role to play in this “first time” event. But we also give all the glory to God, for it is He who gives the increase.

To God Be The Glory!

I Was Sick, But Now I am Well!

Isaac noticed the young lady as we were leaving the area. We had worked all day going from house to house, conducting bible studies with any who showed interest. It was hot, we were tired and we just wanted to get back to our rooms.

But Isaac noticed her! It was obvious that she was very ill with fever. He called to Jacob and together they stopped to visit with her. She had been sick for days, but there was just no money for her to visit a doctor or get any medicine. Without hesitation, Isaac and Jacob reached in their pockets and pulled out some funds and handed it to the young lady telling her to go to a doctor. They feared it was malaria and so many die each year needlessly for lack of treatment to this common disease. They said a prayer with her and her family and went on their way.

The next day as we again passed by her small house, Isaac and Jacob stopped by to inquire about her. She had gone to the local clinic and it was not malaria, but rather typhoid. She was taking the treatments for this, but was still so very weak, having been sick for days with fever. They said a prayer for her and her family once again. As they were starting on their way, the old mother said to the young lady, “You need to go and see that church!” Even a mother can appreciate what strangers can help to do when you have no means to do anything yourself for those that you love.

Day’s had passed and we had forgotten all about the young lady who had been deathly ill. It was Sunday morning and the church meeting hall was filling. There on the front row was a young lady in a pretty white dress. No one recognized her as being anyone that we had studied the bible with that previous week as we went house to house. But we were still thankful to have her visiting at the church with us on that day.

She listened to the message that Sunday morning about the love of Christ and what He has done for every one of us. As we sang a song of invitation at the close of the message, the young lady in the white dress stood along with two others desiring to giver her life to Christ and make Jesus her Lord and Savior.

We still had no idea who she was, or why she had come to church on this day to visit us. Even as we took her name; “Elafaba Walker”, we had no idea of the details that lead her to come and be with us and to hear this saving message of grace. As we talked to each of the three and made preparation for taking them to the ocean for their baptisms into Jesus, she spoke out.
“I am the One,” she blurted out. “I was the one who was sick, and you helped me to get well,” she stated.

That day, as we watched “Elafaba Walker” give her life to Christ in baptism there at the seaside, I could not help but think how amazing our God and Father really is. Just a small gesture of kindness on the part of Isaac and Jacob in trying to help a person so in need of medical attention. Just a passing comment from a caring Mother for that kindness who said; “You need to go and see that church.” Just a simple gospel message that Sunday morning about the love of God and the need for a Savior.

God the Father would turn that small gesture of kindness into the greatest gift of all, salvation in Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of our sins. “Elafaba Walker” was sick, but now she is well. She was dead in her sins, but now she is alive in Jesus Christ.

You never know what a small gesture of kindness can lead to!

But “Elafaba Walker” knows!

“To the extent that you did it for one of the least of these, you did unto Me!” “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:31 - 46

The Old Man of The Corn

He sat on his porch, starring at us through dim eyes. The wrinkled skin of his face told the story well of this old African man, a man of the earth, a farmer all of his life. We had come to his village to preach and tell people of the love of Jesus Christ.

As we visited with the old man there on his stoop, I noticed the corn cribs, filled to the top with and abundant harvest of corn that would see them through, the old man, his wife, their extended family and relatives.

But what also caught my attention was the orderliness of his labor. Here in this part of Africa with its poverty and lack of resources there is little order to life, things are as they are. But not here, not in this man’s yard, the man’s corn cribs. Here there was definite order! There was pride in a job well done. A bountiful harvest and a thankful farmer who took pride in his labor and in God’s blessings upon his work.

I commented on his orderly work. He smiled; looked somewhat amazed, if not perplexed. His face showed the response the he need not speak with words; “Is this not the way it should be?” Just an old farmer who tilled the soul, worked the ground, planted the seed, nurtured his crop, relying on God to give the increase. An old African man, proud to be just what he was. Just a farmer, relying on the Father for the sun and rain and a harvest.

As I looked at the old man’s face and saw the pride he took in his work, I thought of God’s word. Paul would say; “I planted, Appolos watered, but God gave the increase.” I Corinthians 3:6-7
Christ reminds us in John 4:34 – 38 saying:
“Behold, lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, that they are white unto harvest.”

Oh how we need to grasp that God has called each one of us to be farmer’s, planting - watering - nurturing, so that He may give the increase.

As I looked at that old African farmers face, there was pride; for he knew that he had done his part and he knew that God had caused the increase.
May we also know that we are to do our part in planting the seed of the gospel and that God the Father, will do his part even in our lives in giving the increase.

Galatians 6:9-10 “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

The Bus From Mzuzu

We arose in the pre-dawn light to make our preparations for our long day of travel and appointments. This day will take us nearly the length of Malawi, so we must get an early start. After a quick shower using nothing more than a bucket of water and a dipper, but thankful to have that, I dressed and head to the bus depot.

Now remember, we are in Africa, where everything is done on “African time”. We arrive at the bus depot before 7:00 am; in order to catch the 7 o’clock bus to the Central region of Malawi. We are lucky to find seats as many will be standing for the long journey with no seat to sit in. In a land of few vehicles, the buses are filled to overflowing capacity with standing room only.

We are told that the bus will leave by 7:30 am, but then this is Africa! 7:30 comes and goes and now it is 8:00 o’clock and we are still sitting on the bus. We are told that there are mechanical difficulties with the bus, but that they are fixing it and we will be on our way soon. But this is Africa!

Just after 9:00 am, the bus engine fires to life, people take their seats, and our journey begins towards Nkata Bay and the Lake Malawi region. We are only one and half hours behind schedule, but then, this is Africa. We are on the Southern Express Bus, but it is anything but an express bus.

Even though the every seat is filled and twenty or more are standing in the aisle, the bus continues to stop along the way to pick up more anxious passengers and their loads, all trying to get somewhere. Men, women, children, chickens, and boxes and bags and parcels of every size and shape are loaded onto the bus. You have seen the picture of this scene on some late night cheap movie, or in some magazine. But until you have actually lived it, in real life, in real time; you have no idea what it is really like.

The bus stops at every village and town; some get off and others quickly get on and take their place. A dozen stops, then two dozen; a hundred stops and then come the Police road blocks. Everyone must get off of the bus, along with all luggage, boxes, bags, parcels, and belongings. Everything must be checked. After a time, we all file back onto the bus and try and reload the cargo and start on down the road to the south.
An overcrowded bus, in the heat of an African sun, is something that everyone needs to experience at least once in a lifetime. Add to this, that at every stop, the locals rush to the bus to sale the passengers drinks, chips, banana chips, fish, coconuts or just about anything else your mind can imagine in the African bush. Anything that a traveler might desire for their travels to the south.

The man in the seat just ahead of me blessed us all when he decided to buy a whole stringer full of fish, and then proceed to hang them in the open window just ahead of me so that all in the bus could enjoy the fish air freshener. They were the fresh catch of the day from Lake Malawi that we are traveling beside on our southern journey, but keep in mind it is now almost noon and they have been laying in the sun for many hours before his purchase. Fish air freshener; I have never noticed that one on our shelves here at home, but who knows???

The first leg of our journey should have taken about five hours on the bus, but with all of the stops has now taken over seven hours. Add to this the fact that we were two hours late in our departure, and we are now way behind on our schedule for this busy day.

We arrive in Salima in the Central Region of Malawi and rush to appointments that we are more than four hours late for. After several more meetings and appointments and visiting with the local preachers and their families, we head back to the bus depot to continue our journey on this long day of work in Africa. It is 9:00 pm and the bus can come at any time. It arrives at 10:00 pm and we board the bus and find the last two available seats in the last row of the bus.

Now we truly are on the Southern Express, as in the dark of the African night, while most are sleeping in their huts in the countless villages and towns, we roll through the night at breakneck speeds down the winding African roads.

We arrive in the South and drop from the bus on the side of the roadway at the mission where we will work the next few days. It is 2:30 am.; it has been a 22 hour day and we fall onto our beds exhausted.


Why? Why do we do this???

I have been asked this question too many times by too many people who just do not understand.

The answer is so clear - it is so obvious.
We arrived at Salima after 4:00 pm in the afternoon that day before. And even though we are more than five hours late for our first appointment with the churches in that region, we rush there to make our apologies for a situation that we could not control. But there, there we find in their small grass and thatched church building, over a hundred people waiting for us.


Most have been waiting for more than five hours in the heat, on hard brick benches, just waiting. Waiting for us to come and share with them the word of God. Most have walked the many miles to the church building or ridden old worn out bicycles even further. None have a car to come and go in comfort.

And they have sat and waited. They have sang songs and prayed. They have shared bible lessons, but still they wait.

We finally arrive and make our apologies and while it is already late, and the sun will be sitting in the African sky in just a short time, we urge them to go; to just go home while it is yet light outside.

But they plead with us to stay and share with them the message of Jesus Christ.
And so we share with them and they listen intently to every word spoken, nodding in agreement. Finally it is to dark to even see to read the scripture in front of me in the little thatched roofed building with no lights, no electricity. And so we urge them once again to go to their homes in the African darkness. They reluctantly begin to leave to walk the miles of roads and paths leading back to their homes.

We continue on to other appointments, to another bus, to a long night of travel after a long day of travel.

And we do not ask; “Why do we do this?”

For we already know why we do this as we looked into the eyes of those who long to know more about Jesus Christ.



Oh, we could learn so much from these simple, quite, dedicated people!

So, another bus, another long day, another opportunity to share Jesus.

THAT IS WHY WE DO IT!


“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has already come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” II Timothy 4:5 – 8

The Church on The Mount

Malawi, Africa September 18^th, 2010

“THE CHURCH ON THE MOUNT”

Two years ago there was no church on this mountain. Brother Moster Kanyinji new this and new of the need to plant the church in this rural African village, where people have lived and survived for centuries by subsistence farming on the hill sides and valleys. He rode his bicycle from the city of Mzuzu up and down the many miles of hills and valleys carrying his belongings on the back of the bike that he would need for his stay in this rural area.

His first contact was an old African woman, who walked many miles to attend a Catholic church. She so enjoyed their study of God’s word, but was not interested to change her ways for this new found faith that she had found. But she did send him on his way to neighbors and friends who might listen to this man of God.

And listen they did! First an older man, a farmer, who decided to give his life to Jesus. Then the man’s wife decided she needed this new found salvation and she was baptized into Christ. Next was a neighbor of theirs who listened intently and she to accepted this saving message of faith. And then another.

And so it began, with these four rural African people on top of a mountain. The church was begun, the church was planted in the hearts of fertile souls just like the surrounding country side where these simple rural people planted their corn and crops year after year and waited for the harvest.

That first trip to the mountain, only four gave their lives to Christ. But it was a start in seeing God’s people worship on this mountain. Several more trips resulted in others giving their lives to Christ. The church was established, was meeting and God was giving the increase. A young preacher, Brother William Thegba took on the challenge of moving to the mountain to preach and teach for the new church. Now, starting their second year, the church has secured a nice tract of land where they are starting to make bricks for a permanent building. The members have cleared the lot and helped with the bricks and they are moving forward on building before the rains come to this region of Africa.

The days that I visited the mountain, they were hosting a gospel meeting and eight other churches were attending to encourage this new congregation and be encouraged. There were over a hundred that had walked or traveled to be able to see their brethren on the mountain. As we met in the open air on the top of the mountain to worship God, looking out over miles and miles of mountains, valleys, and distant places; I could not help but think how many of these other places need the saving message of Jesus brought to them as well.

The words of Isaiah came to mind; “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many people will come and say, “Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in them.” Isaiah 2:2-3

But at least here in Matule, on the top of a mountain in Northern Malawi, God’s people are meeting. May God continue to give the increase throughout Malawi.

A WALK OF FAITH

Malawi, Africa September 17^th, 2010

“A WALK OF FAITH”

He arises at 2:30 am, makes his daily preparations, and then heads down the path leading to the main road from his village. Even though he is an old man, an older Christian in the village where he preaches, he still longs to learn more from the word of God. So he arises early, starts down the long dusty path that leads to the road to the edge of the city. He will walk for five hours, each way, three days each week just to attend the Kaviwale Teachers Bible Training Center at the edge of Mzuzu in Northern Malawi.

It truly is a walk of faith, as faith comes by hearing the word of God and he still seeks to learn in order to share with others in his rural village. His name is Woolen Manda and he has made this faith walk three times each week for the past year in order to study at the Bible school. Five hours of walking each way, three times each week; thirty hours of walking just to sit and listen to the teaching of the word of God.

Of late he has been joined by another younger Christian man, Benjamin Nkhata; and together they leave in the dark of the African night to make their walk of faith. Often times they will start their long five hour journey home late in the day returning once again to their villages in the dark of night. Mile after mile; day by day, they walk and talk of what they have learned and will be able to share with their fellow Christians in their villages.

But I also saw the joy on their faces as we awarded them their certificates of completion for the past year of their studies. The next year of studies will begin in just a few weeks time and I asked Brother Banda; “Are you going to continue your studies and your long walk to the Bible School this next year?” With broken English he responded: “Of course; I must learn in order to share it with others.” His dedication to the word of God and to the people of Malawi in a remote village where he serves the small church truly will benifit from this man's desire to learn.

Just an old African man’s walk of faith, but what a testimony to all of us of his desire to have greater faith in order to share it with others. Ten hours of walking to learn for just a few hours each day; three times each week he makes this journey of faith. The disciples would say to Jesus; “Lord, increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 My prayer is that each of us would have this kind of determination to grow in our own faith.