From Village to Village

Because of the steady rains today, travel through the villages was difficult.  Most of the time, our truck jolted along the washboard surfaced road, but  a few times, we lost traction in the mud and began to drift toward rain swollen ditches. Along the way, some sections of the dirt road had collapsed, leaving a gaping hole big enough to swallow our truck's tire, but being the skilled driver he is, however, George was able to navigate the hazards and get us safely to each village. (Well, that and answered prayer got us safely to each village.)

We were warmly greeted and welcomed at our fourth and last teaching point of the day. Actually, we didn't know we would be teaching in that village today. We thought we would be meeting the Chief and receiving her welcome and schedule a time for us to come back and teach. However, when we arrived, we found the house full of men and women eager for us to teach them from the Bible.  

In all, there were about 65-70 people  seated on benches the porch and on the floor inside the house. From the bench where we sat in the living room, we could see many faces peering out of a doorway to another room down the hall.   Also, 30 children participated in our children's program outside under a big mango tree.  Although it was late afternoon and George and I were very tired, I saw their spiritual  hunger and their eagerness to be taught the Word of God, and  I knew I could not disappoint them.  As I began to teach, I was Holy Spirit energized, and I was able to finish strong.

        

The lesson topic was "How Can We Have Assurance of Salvation?"  1Peter 3:18 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

CHRIST'S SACRIFICE + MY FAITH IN WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME + TURNING FROM MY SIN = SALVATION.

 For months, about a dozen women from this village have been walking about 10 miles  each week to attend my Bible studies in another village, so there were many familiar faces in the crowd. They were so delighted that we came to teach the Bible in their village. All were very attentive and participated in the lesson, and although most said they are Christian believers, there was only one Bible among them all.  

As I taught, an elderly man sitting on the floor by my feet looked up each passage in his well-worn Bible, and a woman sitting on the floor just to my left wrote the Bible references in er note book. Initially, the Chief was not able to attend, so she sent her representative. Eventually, the Chief was able to break away from her responsibilities and come to welcome us, then stayed for the remainder of the meeting. 

We are certain the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in every village, and if God is not satisfied until everyone hears the Good News, neither should we be.  As I taught today, "God wants His house full! When the final day comes and all of His children are gathered home, we will be there among people from every tribe and language and nation.  He has provided this great salvation, and we are the ones who must go home and share what we have learned with our family and friends."