“Would you mind giving a ride to this young lady here?”
The question came from a soldier at a checkpoint. These checkpoints are common here along the major roads. Usually we are waved through after a friendly greeting and a quick explanation of my identity – “I’m a pastor with La Mission Evangélique de Boké.”
I (Kirk) was on my way to the capital city with my daughter, Kayla. We needed to visit the embassy so we could get her passport renewed. We were also taking along a Landuma fellow, Mamadu, who was returning to school.
We had room for the young lady. “Does she have baggage? Not much? Okay, no problem.”
She climbed in, and we were on our way.
We found out her name is Hawa. She is 18, and lives with her father (a soldier) and her younger sister. Her mother died several years ago. She is beginning 10th grade for the second time. If she isn’t able to make it to 11th this year, she said she will drop out and look for work. For the next several hours we visited off and on.
At one point, Hawa, in the back seat, looked over the front seat to see Kayla seated cross-legged. “You’re sitting shaman style,” she remarked.
I glanced over at Kayla to see what she meant. Okay. So “Indian style” to us is “shaman style” to her. Interesting. Maybe this could be a good conversation starter.
“So what do shamans do?” I asked.
“Well, they can put curses on people, and heal people.”
“So, is that good?”
“Yes, it can be good.”
“Where does their power come from?”
Now Mamadu was getting interested.
“From demons,” they both said.
“Well, is it good when people deal with demons?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it means you have two gods.”
“That’s right! God is the one who created us. Why did he create us? What does He want us to do?”
After a bit of deliberating on that one, they both answered, “We are supposed to worship Him!” Wow. These kids were onto something.
As the conversation continued, we talked about how people can’t worship a holy God as they should because of sin, which separates us from Him.”If you sin, who must forgive you?”
“The person you offended has to forgive you,” they replied with much conviction. “God can’t forgive you if the person doesn’t forgive you. If the person forgives you, then God will forgive you.”
We have heard this line of reasoning many times before. It really turns Matthew 6:14-15 on its head! The common belief here is that the unforgiven person won’t be forgiven by God. But Jesus says it is the unforgiving one whom God won’t forgive.
“Actually, God’s Word says that God can forgive even sins that the person we have offended refuses to forgive. And only God can forgive our sins if we are to be reconciled to Him. But God won’t forgive sins based on the so-called good works of a sinner, because He is holy, clean, perfect. Nothing unclean or sinful can come into His presence. So we must be separated from Him forever in Hell. So if we can’t save ourselves, and everyone else is also sinful, and so they can’t save us, who can save us? Who can help us with our sin problem? Is there anyone who never sinned?”
They seemed at a loss to name someone. But Kayla couldn’t hold back. “Jesus Christ!” she exclaimed.
“That’s true. Even those of your religion, and your holy book, say that Prophet Jesus never sinned. You can go and ask your prayer leader. He will tell you it is true.”
Mamadu said, “In the village I saw someone listening to one of those audio players with the lessons from the Word of God. But I didn’t have time to listen to all of it.” Then he turned to Hawa and said, “They teach God’s Word on the audio player.”
“I sure would like to have one of those so I could listen,” she said.
By this time we had arrived at our destination. I just happened to have with me one audio player with the evangelistic firm foundations Bible lessons in Landuma, as well as one with a similar set of lessons in French. So each of these young people received one.
Please PRAY for Hawa and Mamadu. PRAY that they listen carefully to the lessons, and share them with their friends. PRAY that God works through the preaching of His Word to bring about salvation for these two young people.
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