How Far into Africa?

Have you ever wondered how the gospel message will reach every person on the globe? Well, this is God’s promise in His Word according to Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (NKJV). A huge part of this promise is being fulfilled already. God’s Spirit is at work all over the world and He wants to give us a greater measure of His Spirit. I stand in awe every time I see how God reaches people and touches their hearts, not only those who are being converted but also the hearts of those who bring the message of love. It has been my privilege to see the extensive and far-reaching effects of passing out gospel literature in Africa.

It all started when my wife and I were on our way to visit a Bible worker in the Northern Luapula Province of Zambia (God sent us to this country to serve as missionaries for 12 years). When traveling in African countries you will encounter what are called “checkpoints,” each with a barrier across the road. At these checkpoints, police officers can screen you and your vehicle for anything from diseases to passports to vehicle licenses. As we approached one of these checkpoints in a remote area, we noticed the officer was reading a piece of paper. After we stopped, he approached our vehicle with the paper still in his hand. Then I noticed it was a familiar piece of literature: it was a Discover guide Bible lesson, printed by Light Bearers Ministry. I was amazed to say the least. How did this pamphlet get to this person in this remote place? Only God knows the answer to that mystery, but He opened my mind to see the large-scale potential of this method of evangelism. This was the starting of a more serious relationship with Light Bearers Ministry to provide us with material in Zambia.

During the night a strong wind blew and spread the pamphlets across town.

How far can the printed page go? If you could have the privilege like I have, of working with Light Bearers Ministry and traveling to different African countries, you would be amazed, just as I was in Zambia. Spreading the lessons and pamphlets like the leaves of autumn becomes a reality. I always smile when I think of the experience of a Bible worker who took some boxes of Discover guides home to share with friends. That night he left the boxes outside of his house, still open. During the night a strong wind blew and spread the pamphlets across town. You can imagine the surprise on the Bible worker’s face when he woke up the next morning. The next few days he had neighbors and strangers knocking on his door, asking for the rest of the lessons. Does God have a sense of humor? Maybe this was a lesson on how the literature should be distributed across the globe?

One of the most encouraging and moving stories I have heard was in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during one of my visits there for Light Bearers Ministry. Peter Daudi, an evangelist who works with women who are divorced, found out that most women who are separated from their husbands become prostitutes. They do this because of unemployment, a lack of support, and sometimes rejection by society. Peter’s heart was touched. How could he reach these women for Christ? He prayed earnestly for 10 days for God to show him where he could find these women. God opened the doors and Peter found the centers where the prostitutes work.

He never looked down on them since they are valuable to God.

He decided to knock on the doors of these homes with literature in his hands. It was a surprise to the ladies that he was not interested in their “business” but came to give them a present. He gave them a Bible lesson and $1, the price men pay to receive their services. The first day he reached into the “homes” of 25 prostitutes. He got their phone numbers, and this was the start of a change amongst these women. The ladies would dress properly when the evangelist visited. He never looked down on them since they are valuable to God. Some prostitutes would read the material within a short period of time. It showed their hunger for Christ.

So far, 1250 ladies have been reached. In Dar es Salaam, 47 prostitutes have been baptized. The number of ladies who have finished the lessons is 787. From the 47 who were baptized, 18 who have left their previous “employment” need to find support. The evangelist is praying about opening a cafeteria/restaurant in order to help and employ these women.

I stand amazed!