Henderson’s FINAL Week 22 Update: The Marathon Has Ended!
July 29, 2011
What seems like a Marathon to us is finally coming to an end. After 22 weeks of teaching the initial presentation of the story of Creation to Christ is over. It is the first of many marathons we will run. For now our teaching pace will slow down significantly and the discipleship pace will pick up. To say the least we are very tired and ready for a break but we can’t help but look back over the past 6 months with much joy and thankfulness. God has taken a group of people who had little to no knowledge of His story and led them to a place where many are able to understand what it is that He has done for them! For many Truth and Light has penetrated the darkness! While it is hard to tell still who has “truly” believed and who needs a little more time we are encouraged to see people open and willing to listen and learn. Most of those who have heard are eager to keep hearing more.
Last night Phil spent over 2 hours with a young man that has come very regularly to the teaching but is still struggling to accept this new teaching. He told Phil, “One day I know the Word of God is the only truth and it all makes sense, but then the next day I think ‘well, what about all of this other stuff I have been taught all my life’ and I find it hard to want to keep following that. I am confused. I don’t know what to do!” Those words echo what many people are wrestling with.
Please don’t stop praying!! The battle is still raging for the hearts and souls of the Mwinika people. Many are understanding and a few have given a clear testimony of belief, but many more are struggling and beyond that many more have not heard!
This Upcoming Month:
This next month is a very high religious month for many. We feel badly for having to leave in the middle of it but at the same time having not had a real break since November LAST year we decided that it was better to take some time off.
Many who have heard the teaching are struggling with whether they should or should not take part in the religious practices of this next month? We have not said anything for or against the actions that take place, we have just been reminding those who have been following the teaching and heard the truth that the important thing is their heart before God. Our actions can’t pay for our sin, there is one thing and one thing only that pays for sins, the blood of Jesus!! That is what we must trust.
Pray for wisdom for us as we answer questions and seek to help people through this first of many struggles they will face.
Upcoming Break:
Next week we are heading off for a 3 week break. We will be spending most of the time in South Africa, relaxing and visiting with friends there. We are really looking forward to this time and feel the need for rest and renewal!
Please pray that we will have safe travels and a good and refreshing time!
What’s Next?
Upon return from our break, we will start back into teaching once a week. It is our prayer that many of the lingering questions and doubts will be answered as the people hear about the works and lives of the early church. A lot of the teaching we have done up to this point has been with the addendum of saying, “Where we are going, we will cover that!” When we come back we will start delving into these topics using previously taught material as well as more stories from the book of Acts.
Pray that many will continue to come (even after a month break) and will really begin to grasp the reality of life in Christ!
Along with that, we will be gearing up for another round of literacy. I (Elin) will be starting to organize a group of mostly illiterate women and possibly some men (mainly those who have been coming to the teaching) to begin to learn to read and write their own language, so that they can pick up these Bible Story books and read them for themselves and their families. Many are very interested. I will have to narrow down the group to probably 10-12 of the most serious who want to learn.
Lots of patience and prayer will need to go into this upcoming project! Please pray with us in this!