November 2006 - Posts

• Christmas Came Early to Lawley 2

  Lawley 2 is an informal settlement outside of Johannesburg, South Africa, where people live in shacks with no running water, sewage or electricity. It is in this context that WorldVenture's mid-term worker, Nicole Beardslee, has a Bible Club for children in grades 1- 3. It's been a very fruitful year as 60+ kids have gathered each week to hear about God and His love for them, especially His love towards us in sending Christ. Nearly 30 kids have accepted Christ into their hearts through this time. Last week was the final Bible Club for the year. It was a Christmas party where the kids got to make a photo frame for their parent or guardian and decorate their own cupcake to eat.  They also were ecstatic to receive a new backpack, toothbrush, a small toy and candy. This was an over-the-top Christmas for these kids and the screams of joy just got louder as they discovered the next item inside the backpack. What a finale to a great first year of bible club! It was donations to the Compassionate Children's Relief fund for southern Africa that made this all possible. This fund enables us to provide food assistance, school fees, medical care, Bible Club materials and Christmas gifts to the children in need.  I just wish that you could see their faces as we are able to help children who have so little to succeed in life. Posted Nov 30 2006, 02:00 AM by Transformed

• Simple Conversion Bears Fruit

  Earlier this year a short-term group from California came to help with evangelism. At one of the churches that the team worked with they had such a positive response and so many contacts that Steve was recruited to cover some of the follow-up. The church was a good distance from Steve's home, so on the first visit he went with a couple from the local church. The woman they visited was named Ester. "On our first visit, she made a simple profession of faith," writes Steve. "Arrangements were made for her to be welcomed into the nearby church." At that point, Steve lost personal contact with the woman, since the distance to the church prohibited frequent visits. Later in the year, when Steve had the opportunity to visit again, he learned that Ester had stopped coming to church. "I was a disappointed, but sometimes those things happened." A few months later Steve met with a few people from that church concerning other matters. During the meeting, one of them asked if he remembered a visit he had made earlier in the year. He guessed wrong, recalling a different visit. They explained a little more, and he finally realized, "Oh, you mean Ester." Ester had returned to church. With her, she brought her sister and then later her mother-in-law. Then they invited another friend. Altogether five new people are now attending church as a result of Ester's conversion! Posted Nov 30 2006, 02:00 AM by Transformed

• A Human Marabou

  Angelika has been telling Bible stories to the wife of one of my close friends from Kong. Let’s call him, DR and her, FN. DR is handicapped and he makes his living as a marabou. (Don't confuse this with the black and white African stork!) A marabou in West Africa is a medicine man. As is the case of DR, a marabou heals people of a fair number of illnesses, guarantees wealth, power and protection from jealous husbands and wives, etc. through the use of incantations, Koranic verses, a good understanding of plants and the way people react to different stimuli. One of DR’s specialties is writing out specific verses from the Koran on a smooth writing board called a walaga and then rinsing off the holy script into a catch basin with water taken from a specific river or stream with special qualities. This produces what is called nassiji which is then used to wash the ill person and which must also be swallowed to produce health, wealth or fame — basically whatever you are looking for, provided that is something within DR’s specialization. I know that it sounds wild, but it is a very real occupation in which someone like DR can do fairly well even with his infirmity. Now to Angelika and one of the ladies from our church began to tell Biblical stories to FN several months ago. They also taught her Jula songs to help her remember the stories. FN was particularly touched by the message found in the stories and the tunes that they sang as well. She is very open to listen and is even interested in deepening her relationship with God in the ways that we understand. Of course this is a concern both for her and for us as we know that the day she decides to follow the Jesus Road exclusively, she may encounter resistance from both DR and the rest of her family. Fortunately DR knows about the Jesus Road already. Although he is not yet a follower, he does have a clear idea of what. Pray for this couple and our growing relationship with them. Pray that following the fast the stories will continue and that they will help FN see who she really is before the King of Kings and who she can be if she gives her life entirely to Him. Posted Nov 21 2006, 02:00 AM by Transformed

• Medicines of Sorcery Destroyed

  Pastor John Hamenyimana, whose name means place where they know God, grew up in a very pagan area of Rwanda in a family of evil-spirit worshipers and sorcerers. John is now a first year student in the Pastoral Training Program (PTP) facilitated by Scheers, Brubakers and Bennetts. In the beginning class they share their testimonies. The following is part of his: My father and his brothers had medicines of sorcery that were passed on to them from their father.  They used this medicine to heal. One day my father's older brother, who was the keeper of the medicine, took seriously ill.  When he thought he was near death he called for me.   He said to me, "My son, they have told me that you have given yourself to God. I have the family medicine. I have looked at all our family's children for the one to whom I can pass this medicine on to. I have found none who I feel can use it following its prescribed ways. It should have been you, as the oldest of the children. But now you have given yourself to God. If I do not pass it on to anyone it will destroy you all. Tell me, does God exist? Have you seen him?" I said, "Yes, I know him, I have seen him." He said, "If He really exists, can you take this medicine from us and save us all from this terrible thing?" I was extremely happy to hear this! Because I knew the power of the Lord was within me. I said that I would do it. So he sent for the family. My father had died by then, but my other uncle, his younger brother, came. Friends were sent for; all the people that had received of that medicine in the past came. Then my elder uncle told them that he wanted to save the family from the woe of this medicine.   My younger uncle was afraid and pleaded with his brother not to do this. But my older uncle insisted that this is what he wanted to do. So he brought out all the medicines of sorcery, including two large horns of power. We lit a fire and I began to pray, "In the name of Jesus, God, if you have the power to remove from our people this woe, burn these things up in your name!" I began to shake and my arms were filled with the Spirit. The pagans that were there began to say, "This young man will be dead by tomorrow for what he is doing!  And look, he is being possessed by the spirits!" They didn't understand the Spirit that was enabling me. After I prayed I cast the medicines into the fire.  The fire blazed up and burned them all.   I took a shovel and put the fire out with some mud and took the lot and threw it down the outhouse (pit toilet). Then I went and prayed for my sick uncle.  Before that night was over he died.   We buried him the next day. But the sorcery that had plagued our family was gone! This has become a great testimony in that whole area. After that, my uncle's children and wives and grandchildren repented, turning to the Lord.  For this, I praise the Lord! … Now I am studying at the pastor's school of NCM (New Creation Ministry in Rwanda sponsored by WorldVenture).  I praise the Lord greatly for this.   God had given me a promise since 1996 in my dreams that I would someday study.  I saw myself sitting at a desk studying, writing and reading books. I could not figure out how I would ever be able to study with my level of schooling (only three years of high school) and our lack of money. I just prayed and the Lord assured me that some day I would study and even receive a diploma. So now I know that God answers those who pray to Him. He is real, the true God. He doesn't deceive his people. Everyone who depends on him He listens to. Those who seek peace and life and a good life, let them repent and pursue God praying to him, seeking Him with all their heart, and He will do it. In finishing I ask the head of our school (Gary Scheer) to pray for me that I might finish well. Thank you all. Pastor John Hamenyimana. Posted Nov 16 2006, 02:00 AM by Transformed