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Life here in
Gambia continues to go well. The team is doing great and we all are
really enjoying our time here. We are still working here at MEHDA
and with the churches in the surrounding area. We are getting to
know lots of people here and developing some good relationships.
The other night we went to visit the compound of one of the guys
that works here at the MEHDA farm. We took some no-bake cookies
along with us for them to try. It was late evening, and as we came
up to the compound we were greeted by many people and then Ansu, the
guy that works here, came out and welcomed us in. They rushed into
the house and brought out chairs for us to sit on. We were
introduced to all the family and other random people that were there
at the compound. They all greeted us enthusiastically and told us to
sit. They ate the cookies and tried to figure out what they were
made out of. Everyone from the old dad to the little kids ate the
cookies excitedly, curious at the new taste.
As we sat down kids surrounded us and more people came by to greet
us. We talked a little and after awhile they presented us with a
dish wrapped up with food for us. When we got home we found that it
was oysters with onions, potatoes, peppers, and bread--very
excellent food and even though we had already eaten we ate it
anyway. We thanked them for the food and went to leave, but they
stopped us and loaded us up with a bag of bitter tomatoes, eggplant,
and tomatoes. We came with a few cookies and left with our arms full
of food and vegetables. They were so happy we came to visit them and
walked us most of the way home. That is the way it usually happens.
The night before we went to visit another family and we spent an
hour or so talking, drinking tea, and we left with a bag of cassava.
They are so inviting, so hospitable and happy when we come to visit
them.
We have so many opportunities to connect with people here. I have
been realizing lately that I have not been taking full advantage of
these opportunities. I have many friends, but I want to get beyond
that. My prayer lately has been that situations would come where we
can go beyond the normal talk and that I would be bold in sharing
about the great gift that I have received. And, I can pray, pray,
pray for them. I keep thinking of the fact that I'm surrounded by
people that are as convinced, or more so than me, that they have the
truth. It is a sobering thought. I think of my friends here and I
want to see them in the choir of every tong and tribe. I want to see
them, the guys I hang out with and play soccer with every day.
I realized that to me it is no longer a matter of telling the
nations, or bringing the light to Gambia, but I want to see these
guys in heaven. I want to see lives changed and everything, but
lately I just want to see them when I get to heaven. I want these
guys to be there. Will it happen? I can't get an answer and maybe it
is not for me to know. Saul was struck blind for three days. Why
can't that happen to these guys too? It’s not their fault that they
grew up in a family and society that taught them this as truth. I
just get mad at the how the god of this age has blinded the eyes of
unbelievers. It is sort of depressing at times, but there is hope
and we serve a God who is alive and moving. He loves these people a
whole lot more than I do and wants to see them in His presence even
more than I do.
There are two guys that we have gotten to know especially well.
Their names are Nyamo and Armstrong. They work here at the clinic
and are best friends. We spend a lot of time with them and they eat
with us pretty much every day. I've had some good conversations with
Nyamo about Christianity. He is at the point where he knows that
there is a choice to make, but he kept saying, "But it is so hard
here." The pressure from his friends and the community is what seems
to be holding him back. Armstrong is a very religious Muslim and is
very closed to the ideas of Christianity. He is just very set in his
ways and that is that. He doesn't seem to have a problem with being
a good friend of ours even if he is Muslim. That is the way most of
the people are here. They like us, like what we are doing, and are
very friendly, but they are Muslim. So we continue to interact with
them and pray that God shines though what we do.
So, I would appreciate your prayers whenever you think of us. Pray
that our lives would be filled with the Holy Spirit and that people
would have a longing for what they see in us. Pray for
opportunities, boldness and wisdom to share the hope we have been
given.
Visit
www.send-me.org for pictures from the Gambia REACH team.
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