Vision Trip Day 5

Our multicultural team visiting homes in the village.

This morning, I preached to a church of English speakers, the same church which I mentioned yesterday who are building a meeting place. The church has clearly grown since I was there last year. I preached from Luke 10, about the teacher of the Law who comes to test Jesus with a question, and tries to justify himself by his keeping of the Law, but Jesus responds with the story of the "Good Samaritan." The message was well received; pray that the Holy Spirit will bless it with fruit after I'm gone.

Later, we had sweet fellowship with the other believers, and split up into groups to visit homes in the village. We met some very poor families, such that it makes poor Americans look like kings. I've seen this kind of poverty before, but it is still shocking. We met some new English-speakers, who'd come here for work. We also had the opportunity to encourage a believer, whose husband has quit seeking, and whose sons have no interest. We had prayed a couple days earlier for a brother who is suffering from the shingles, and had only aspirin to help with the pain; today, by God's grace, he is feeling much better.

The ladies worked hard, cooking & serving food for c. 115 people.

In the evening, we had a gathering in connection with a birthday. (Not like in America, where the birthday boy or girl gets a bunch of presents, but where the family gives to the community through hospitality, and the community celebrates with the family.) The believers organized this as a ministry to get the Gospel out to their neighbors. The people would not come to a church building, but they will come to a home, to birthday parties, weddings, fellowships, etc. Such fellowships are common in their communities.

It is common at such gatherings to have music & stories & food. So the believers sang the Gospel, and proclaimed the Gospel, and welcomed the neighbors, and fed them. One of the ladires from the Missouri group gave her "testimony," and one of the men gave a message about Christ as the only Savior for all men. These were translated so that the people could understand.

One of the most encouraging things I noticed was that many believers from other churches came to support this outreach. There is a real love & fellowship here between believers of different ethnic groups & churches.

Pray that God will bless the labor of these dear brothers & sisters with the fruit of new worshipers of Jesus.