It Keeps Getting Better!

Continued from previous post

Fri. Jan 30th: On Friday morning we headed out for some street evangelism. We began in the market and shopping areas however it was the last day of the month which meant pay day and it was crazy. The missionary couple said that they would spend their money on alcohol all weekend any by Monday they would not have money to eat for the rest of the month. We saw it with our own eyes. It was sad but good for us to see because it made the need to share Jesus even more real.

This is the typical market scene. This is dried worms, fish, etc! Gross! At least YOU can't smell it. I was OK until we got to the hanging meat and that was about more than I could take. Of course the smell of home brew was mixed in. How could I forget the body odor? I was all thrown off! Because the people in the shopping areas were just too busy because they had money (or too drunk!) we decided to go into the housing areas where the people were more focused. Good move!

This is Gershon. A led him to Christ! He was so broken! He believed he was a Christian but when A pointed him to scripture he knew he was not. He was Lutheran and had been baptized as an infant and been through confirmation. Many of the people will tell you they are Christians based on this. He said something while we were talking to him that hit me really hard. He said, "people talk about being born again, but I don't see any difference in them." He could not be more right. Are we really "born again"? Do we show the rest of the world we are "born again"? I am afraid the answer too often is no...

There were 2 more guys at this same house and one of the other men spoke with them but they were not interested. As Gershon headed back into that house with tears streaming down his face all I could think was what would they say to him. The natives told us they were often made fun of for becoming Christians. When we become Christians we have others to rejoice with us and tell us how happy they are. However, completely changing our old ways and living completely for Him is not easy. Can you imagine the challenges that are presented for these people who have little to no support in their walk. All the more reason for us to spend time discipling the ones there who have accepted Christ so they can provide that support system.

As we moved down the street, this lady came out of her house to talk to us. She was wearing a nighty which was completely see thru. She did come out tying a dishtowel around her waist. She also claimed to be a Christian yet had not followed the Biblical way to salvation. She told us that she was Lutheran but had switched to the Universal Church because the Lutheran church could not help her with her problems. She said she needed someone to solve her problems. So sad! She needs Jesus! We just felt she was too confused to go any further with. She got me thinking though, how often do we go to church to make us feel good or to have our problems solved? As we explained to Gershon, a Christian life is certainly not problem free, but our hope lies in Him!

Fri nt we had Bible Study again. The group from our town who had been there just a few weeks before us wanted to get Erastus a guitar. One of them had taken one when they went and they discovered that Erastus could play and that they all enjoyed having it for their worship. So, we took him the guitar and he was THRILLED!!!

A talking to Erastus. I think he was thinking, "please let me try out the guitar!"

Mrs. Melba helping him check it out! Mrs. Melba is one of our church members and just a delight! Spunky but a delight!!! This was her second trip to Namibia and she has such a love for the people and it wonderful with them!

Listening to Erastus play. Brought tears to my eyes!

Mrs. Melba having a wonderful time with some of the ladies and children she had met on her first trip.

The lady in blue is Maria and she works at the hotel where we stay and was led to Christ by a previous team member.

Some of the group. Erastus taught from "A Call to Joy" which is the discipleship material our church uses and they are using in their group in Africa as well. The topic talked about guess what, being BORN AGAIN!!! We talked about how we should ALWAYS he His witnesses. In everything we do, others should know we are BORN AGAIN! What do we fill our minds with? We have to be filling our minds with Him or we will shine through over Him! We talked about the importance of scripture memory so that we can adequately be His witnesses.

We took Erastus home after Bible Study. Their house was one of the very small tin houses. Of course no electricity. We want to feel sorry for them BUT they are filled with JOY! Once again, why do we not have that JOY? If we have Jesus, he gives us JOY! I am afraid we have too many "things" that provide us "happiness" and the more we have the more we want. We fill our time with these "things" when we should be filling them with Him and then we are left with no JOY! CONVICTING!!! Maybe we are not as "fortunate" as we think we are. As Bible Study, David told us that before he became a Christian he strived to be like Americans and he and wanted that for his children but that after Christ he wants to know more about Him, not Americans and he wants to teach his children more about Him, not Americans. Maybe we should strive to be more like HIM and less like Americans! Not maybe, we SHOULD! As Americans we tend to give our children more and more material possessions which is making them less and less thankful and more and more arrogant. Our generation of children is walking around unhappy because they want more "things" and trying to manipulate how they can get more "things". We have done this! We should want more of HIM for them not THINGS! First, I guess we have to be that example for them... I am not saying do not provide for your children or never give them "things" they desire BUT I do feel really strongly that our priorities are way out of order and it is stealing true JOY which only comes from HIM!

Sat. July 31st: The missionary couple leaves. They were wonderful insight and encouragement for us. David and Erastus had expressed that at some point they would like to paint the inside of the former disco to get rid of the black. We thought the outside of that side needed to be painted so that the people of the city were not confused by the space since it was now being used for Bible study twice a week as well as church on Sun morning. So, we picked them up and took them to buy the supplies to paint. We bought the supplies but we wanted them to pick it all out. The plan was to get the items needed, help them get started, and then allow them to finish so it felt like theirs not ours.

A couple of David's employees sanding down the outside

After picking out the supplies we went out doing evangelism with Erastus and David. We felt it would be good to go along side them helping them and encouraging them to share. Ended up they didn't need much help. It was amazing to see them in action!

LOVE this picture of A with David and Erastus "going out!"

We went into the neighborhood behind the former disco which is an extremely poor area. The whole city is poor but this was realllllly poor. It was a good thing we had Erastus and David with us because they were not as impressed with us "Americans" as most are.

This is a shot inside the neighborhood

Hearing David share Christ in his heart language was very moving

We gave this little girl one of the dolls and her mother is reading the letter that was sent with the doll

David sharing Scripture with her

She accepted Christ!!! Of course, I cried...

I got this shot of her after we had walked off. She is reading her Bible!

Notice the lady with the baby on her back is doing laundry. She would not talk to us but we are talking to her sister and the one with the baby on the back is listening intently.

This is the little girl. The children drew me in. I have to admit though, I thought I would only be drawn in by the children and that was not the case. I fell in love with all the people...

A sharing again. Melba and I went to visit Monica. She was led to Christ on a previous trip and Melba met her on her last trip and wanted to spend some time discipling her. She had no chairs so we all we sat on the floor. It was a wonderful experience. I just sat there and took it all in. These 2 women who had only met each other once before talking like old friends about our Saviour!

Melba and I returned to the meeting place where the others were working.

The new outside of the former disco!

Working on the inside
Removing the disco ball!

Melba and I headed back to the hotel. The rest of the group came in shortly after with an amazing story. While A and the others were working at the meeting place David told A that he would like to talk to him. They went into the bar area and sat down and talked. David shared with A that he had a hard time sharing Christ and owning a bar. He told him that he had thought a lot about closing the bar but he was scared because that was the way he provided for his family but that he felt convicted about it. A asked him if he (A) had said anything to him about having a bar and he said no. A asked if anyone on our team had said anything to him about it and he said no. So, A said so who do you think is saying something to you about this and his response was, "God" He told A that he would like to see it become a family entertainment center-a place for families in the city to come and have a good time without alcohol. A had not shared this with anyone up to this point but the night before during Bible Study the Lord revealed that same thing to him! WOW! That's all I could say and that is all I can still say to that!!! HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD? One of the ladies in the Bible Study has also had a vision of that same thing. David decided right then and there to close the bar!!!

This is a picture of him painting over the Bar sign on the outside!
What a testimony! Even for us! Would we be willing to give up our livelyhood if the Lord told us to??? PLEASE pray for David and his family as he has taken this huge leap of faith!
When we got back for Bible Study they were still busy taking down all the alcohol signage and painting the outside

We got to meet Erastus' son and wife. Wonderful people! This is his son. We could not get his name right so they told us it means "trust in the Lord" and we could just call him Trust!ADORABLE!!! He is 4 and very smart and it was obvious he is being taught spiritual things at home. He got this book and told me this was Jesus Christ preaching!

We had 16 at Bible Study on that Sat nt. Would we have 16 gather for Bible Study on a Sat nt in the states? They are THIRSTY for the word and we should always be thirsty for the word no matter how long we have been Christians.

I absolutely loved seeing people on another continent worshipping the same Lord and Saviour who died for ALL!!!