What a great joy to welcome our friends and colleagues Tony, Maria, Jon, Angie, their two youngest as well as a pastor friend, Davis, from Zimbabwe here in Mwinikaland. They came to visit and encourage us, and – especially where Davis is concerned – to see the church plant work.
We asked our bigger Mwinika team to explain the work here to our guests. These Mwinika men have walked with us since the beginning to teach us their language, and later to help develop the Bible lessons and Literacy. Along the way, they not only heard the Good News, but believed it!
We feel wonder and awe to see them taking on the different responsibilities and ownership over this church plant. For example: even when Francois was too sick to get up from bed to open the office, these guys would arrive each morning, get the keys, open up, have devotions, pray together and start the work on their own. I would find them all, bowed low over paper, pencil in hand, busy writing down a summary of each lesson so that it can be used as a supplementary tool when going out into new communities or used to teach young children. They would divide the work, decide who will type the summaries into the computer and how much they target to do each day. They are totally devoted and motivated in what they do. They do this for and because of Jesus. How far the Lord has brought them!
Saturday morning a few of the men arrived, set up their “props” and then took turns to tell our guests what each of them are doing… we I did not coach them on what to say or how to do it, and we stood amazed! Each one would start by giving their personal testimony – how this blessed us! We heard things that we have never heard before… Their maturity, humbleness, sincere love for the Lord and understanding of His Word gripped us anew. Their understanding that they did not come to Christ just to be saved to go to heaven, but that they have a responsibility to take this message out into the world filled us with joy and wonder. They are sincere and earnest in their desire to see not only their families and neighbours reached with the Good News, but also other people even from other nations. Who knows where the Lord will take them and the generations to follow? We can only watch from the “front row seat” as the Lord enfolds the miracle of His power in changing lives right before our eyes.
Francois and I often battle with feelings of being overwhelmed. Time and again we feel totally inadequate and unprepared to reach the demands around us. We are very aware that none of the fruit of this Mwinika work is due to us or our partners, Phil and Elin’s, hard work or abilities. In fact, despite our inadequacy and mistakes, the Lord is raising up His Church among the Mwinika people of Mozambique; despite our inefficiency – He is sufficient. There is much power and comfort and huge relief in knowing that HE is doing the work here through His Spirit. We are but tools in His capable Hands.
Lord, may we stay available and obedient.