This morning my team and I headed 15 minutes down the road to a neighboring village, Lesoma, to evangelize. It took a bit of time to actually split into groups and start walking around. First we had to go make an appearance at the local Kgotla to let the chief and elders in the village know why we were there and that we’d be talking to people in the area.
We got to talk to three different groups of people and I even met a man from Kenya!
At one of the homes we got to visit, we sat under the shade tree with Mr. Mowi and his wife, Alice. We got to talking about God and how we can hear from Him and learn about Him even when we don’t have a Bible or go to church. When we asked Mr. Mowi if he had accepted Jesus into his life, he said “yes”. But when my friend Siphiwe continued to explain the salvation plan, we realized Mr. Mowi hadn’t really been told in full what that meant. And when he realized what he got to experience in a relationship with Jesus who took away his sin, he wanted to ask Jesus into his life FOR REAL! It was a moment of joy to see Mr. Mowi and Alice see for themselves what Jesus means.
But as we walked away from the house, my heart was having a hard time with this. How will these young believers grow stronger when they don’t have a Bible, or have a church within walking distance, or even have neighbors who are believers????? How will they get to an understanding of knowing the difference between traditions and the way of Jesus? Will anyone ever translate the Bible into this tribe’s language?
This is the hardest part about evangelizing for me. We spread the Good News, people accept it, and then we walk away. How does that seem Christ-like? How is that actually building the Kingdom? It feels like I’m skipping over the important part of discipleship.
I turn my heart and churning thoughts to the Father:
God, You know how Mr. Mowi and Alice want to follow You and the decision thy made today confirms it. You know them and their hunger to learn more about You even though they can’t go to a church. You know their desire to dig into Your Word even when they have no Bible. And You know to keep sending people their way to strengthen their faith in You even when they don’t know anyone in their area who is a believer.
You also know my deep desire to build Your Kingdom. Remind me again and again that I am only the one who plants or waters these seeds being planted. But only You can give the increase. You know all these things and You care; You won’t forsake Your children. Ever.
