Kadi (pictured second from left) is a Landuma woman in her 70s. She has diabetes, and last year we helped her when she needed a foot amputated due to complications of the disease. She and her daughter Ami were very grateful, and told us they know that no one else would have helped like that, not their family, not their neighbors, not their leaders, no one. They said they knew that God sent us and that they know that we missionaries really know the truth of God, that the message we preach is the truth.
Tragically, though she had stated that she was interested in hearing he Bible teaching, Ami died a few months ago, before she had heard the truth. Soon after, Kadi’s second daughter, Jenaba, came to the village to care for her mother. Jenaba said she also knows we teach the truth. The two agreed to let Kirk teach them the Bible.
“But what about your son, the village religious leader,” Kirk asked, “Won’t he object?”
“Don’t worry about him. We can listen to God’s Word if we want to. He can’t stop us.”
So Kirk and the ladies began studying God’s Word together. Kirk is teaching the evangelistic Bible lessons which take one through the panorama of Bible history from the creation of the universe to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. God’s attributes and man’s sinful nature are communicated clearly, as is the provision our loving God has made for reconciliation between a holy God and sinful man. Recently they studied the 10 commandments, and God’s pattern for salvation shown in the Tabernacle. The goal is to help them understand who God is, the holy sovereign ruler of the universe, and who they (and we all) are, sinners separated from Him and in need of salvation.
Kadi and Jenaba seem to be understanding the truth. They have stated that they know they are sinners, that all people are, and that no one can be saved by doing good works, and that we all need God to save us. This is real progress, as their religion teaches that everyone must save themselves through performing religious duties and being good to others.
—PRAY for Kadi and Jenaba, that they would have good understanding of the truths they are learning.
—PRAY that they would be convicted of their sin, and truly see their need of a Savior.
–Sometimes other family members and/or neighbors listen in on the teaching. PRAY that God would give them a hunger to listen to all of the foundational Bible teaching.
UPDATE
Jeneba left the village and returned to Conakry before we finished studying the lessons. PRAY for her, that she would return to our village and again listen to the Bible teaching.
Kadi continued to listen as Kirk taught her the remaining foundational lessons in the Old Testament. They continued to study through the Gospels about what Jesus has done for us. Many times Kadi affirmed that she knew she was a sinner who couldn’t buy forgiveness from God by any good works. She knew that she needed to trust the Savior whom God sent. She said she believed that Jesus died to pay her sin debt!
We rejoice in this testimony of faith in Jesus!
During the days when we were studying the final Bible lessons, Kadi became seriously ill with complications from her diabetes, and she died. See the story posted a couple of posts above this one to learn more.
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