I tell you this story to paint a picture of what the past weekend looked like for myself and my team. We are working with an organization this month called Great Is God international, and this ministry focuses mainly on crusades in remote African villages, some of which have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We arrived in this village on Saturday at around lunchtime. Parking the truck in a vast field, I put my hands forward and scooted out of the bed of the truck to a beautiful landscape. Backpack latched on and water bottle in hand, I looked out at probably the widest expanse of land I have ever seen in my life. Fertile and lush farming land stretched on for miles and miles and circled around this mountainous region of Malawi. No electricity, and one well for the village of just under 1,000 people.
We were welcomed by a host of African women perched under the shade of a tree clapping and waiving at the seven Americans walking into the village. As we entered the village, hundreds of children came running towards us. One little girl took one quick glance at us and ran screaming in the other direction, arms flailing. We later found out that we were the first white people she had ever seen. Funny things like this happen only on the race.
Janette and Linda (two women involved in the ministry) were busily cooking a traditional African lunch over an open fire. The lunch included a dish called ‘Sima,’ which is made by boiling water, and scooping cups of flour into the water, and stirring it until it becomes a thick, gooey, glue like substance. These African women have some seriously sculpted biceps from stirring this porridge (honestly, I tried it!). They then scoop it out in hefty spoon fulls and serve it with cooked greens and sardines. Yes, mom, I ate sardines! Still don’t have a taste for them though.
After lunch, as the men involved in the ministry set up the equipment for the program, I sat down to chat with a few children of the village. A few children quickly turned into 50 plus children, and they all sat wide-eyed as I told them a couple Old Testament stories. Goliath’s mighty army and Daniel’s courage in the lion’s den could’ve trumped any Play Station game for these kids. They soaked in every word.
When our contact Zachariah told us that they were ready to start, I picked up my Nalgene full of water and meandered down the hill to where we were having our service. Hundreds of people sat on the prickly grass and dusty dirt to soak in the Word that my teammate Kyle was serving up for the day. When Kyle finished, we all stood in front of the crowd and asked people to come up if they wanted prayer. I have never seen such a hunger for something more than I saw in the eyes of the people I prayed over. They craved healing and restoration not only for their physical needs, but also for their spiritual health. And all I had to offer them was Jesus. No medicine, no bandages, no water or food, just prayers; prayers to the Father that holds the riches and inheritance to the entire Kingdom.
As the time passed and I prayed fervently over each ailment of these beautiful people, I realized why missionaries see so many miracles in Africa. It is because Africans put every hope they have in the Lord. They have no option to go to a doctor, or drink purified water, or buy protein-heavy foods, they just have the promises of Jesus. And those promises work. We have so many other options in the states of finding healing that we can easily forget that we serve the author and creator of everything we could ever need. I’m not saying that the amenities and medical care in the U.S. aren’t of God. I do believe that the Lord has given us great minds and people full of wisdom to create new and innovative medical advances, I just also think that we’ve forgotten to go to the ultimate Creator first, above anything else. If the race has taught me anything, it has taught me to go to God first. If you’re sick, go to God. If you’re hurt, go to God. If you’re angry, go to God; you get the rest. Maybe He won’t heal you or provide for you in the way you want at that very moment, or maybe He will. He has the power. He has the ability, and He has the want to. Let Jeremiah 29:11 ring in your hearts today; “For I know the plans for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” That’s straight up truth my friends. I’m not making this up. J And I am working with a ministry full of God’s army this month that have a hat full of stories about miracles they’ve seen and been a part of. I just can’t wait to witness one in the coming weeks!
