Please pray for Eddie and Franseska
Another Mengen family I would like to introduce to you guys is Eddie and Franseska. Eddie was one of the first Mengen believers many years ago, and have surely been one of our most faithfull language helpers, carriculem developers and translation helpers. But he has also developed into an exelent literacy teacher, teacher in the church and disciple-maker.
As with most Mengens he grew up as an animist but was unsatisfied with the answers the animistic world-view presented for life and death. We believe the Holy Spirit worked in his heart even long before we ever arrived on the scene.
As missionaries arrived and started house building and language learning Eddie unfortunately as many of the other Mengen young men became a really trouble maker. Eventually he got caught out a few times stealing our fuel etc. and then due to the great shame he experienced he and another young man tried commit suicide. Through God grace they did not succeed. Eventually he found work at one of the coastall villages about 2 days hike away from us.
A few years later when we at last cou
ld start and teach the gospel in our village, Eddie heard about it and the same day left his job and hiked to our village to attend. And during these lessons he found the answers he was looking for and since then he has grown into a wonderful Christian. He is married to Francesca and they have 3 children.
Unfortunately about 2 months ago Eddie fell into sin in that he nearly got involved with another unmarried girl in an inappropriate way. Through Gods grace Eddie himself approached us and has been completely honest with his wife. Eddie was completely broken and in tears recognizing that before God he has sinned. As you can imagine this resulted in many problems in the young Mengen church as Eddie is respected as a leader.
The wonderfull side of the story is that Eddie humbled himself, and is at the moment being discipled by other members of the Mengen church. We hope to see him restored fully towards the end of the year. This has surely been a hard learning curve for the Mengen believers and leaders as well as Eddie.
Please pray for Eddie and Franseska as we set Eddie aside for a while in teaching, discipleship, and lesson checking.
The Mengens use the phrase, ‘Ore maisi nga gigu’. It means he is stannding at my back. And it means that some one is supporting you!
Thanks for standing at Eddies back with us in prayer.
Blessings
Lourens for the Mengen church