"I Know What He Would Do!"

10.40 AM.  Mikocheni B, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.   I'm standing in the foyer of a modern movie theater on Sunday morning.  Outside the sun is raging as the humidity rises.   25 kids full of way more energy than me are  all over the place.  We are attempting to help them act out 3 different Bible stories without using words. My group is reenacting the story of Zacheus-the famous tax collector. 

  I was asked to lead the children's ministry of the church that meets here at the very last minute.  Scrambling for ideas we decided that participatory Bible-story acting would be the best solution.  So-  Jesus is just about to enter Jericho with his crowd of three 6 years olds.  One of them will soon run to find Zacheus and tell him to come see Jesus.  Zach will then climb a tree- which happens to be me in this skit hoping for a brief glimpse.   

We ask one of the boys to play the part of a blind man that Jesus can heal to better illustrate to the other 2 groups of kids watching who Jesus is in the mixed group of 5 and 6 year olds.  With arms groping and eyes squeezed super tight the little guy takes off with his role of a blind guy.  I then turn to Jesus- played by a little 5 year old girl.  "Now make sure that you go up to him and......" She interrupts me very sweetly, but confidently: "I know WHAT He would DO!" 

With that she runs over to the "blind man" and stretches her hand towards his eyes.  As "Jesus'" hand touches his eyes, I have to fight back tears.  There is something in the way she so clearly and eagerly showed me what Jesus would do that shakes me.  She intuitively sensed that when need encountered the Son of God- transformation must take place.  Immediately, the blind man recovers his sight leaving Zach awed, but I am too.  How does a little 5 year old know so well what so few have yet to grasp?

   Would we have interrogated him?   Or possibly given him some coins?  Maybe Some sympathy? Then on with our day?  Or possibly a self-righteous: "Get out of the way blind guy- Jesus is coming."   Or worse- maybe ignored him completely?  Or resented him for brining deformed humanity into Jesus' holy parade?    But the 5 year old in Dar Es Salaam reminded me once again that real compassion is stirred into ACTION!  Real compassion moves us from the inside to say: "Wait just a minute! I Know WHAT He Would Do!"   

I don't know about you, but I want to know WHAT HE WOULD DO!  And then like that little girl I want to DO IT!  The right word for the right time.  A Spirit-lead touch to the hurting. A prayer that penetrates the heart.  Healing for the sick and broken.  Oh God help us be like your Son Jesus- a man of action for hurting people.  

An Unexpected Zanzibari Taxi-Ride

Arriving into Zanzibar during the fading moments of the afternoon I met my taxi driver.  A bright young man full of life and energy, he quickly engaged me in conversation.  His English, however, only took him past the basic greetings and questions.  He was wearing a sleek T-Shirt and an islamic prayer cap.  He threw my bag in the mini-van and started off across the island with a very care-free smile.   

Some 5 minutes into the ride he asked me what I did in his best broken English.  "I'm a pastor" I replied without much thought.  "Where?" he asked with interest.  "Here in Tanzania" I answered.   "Do you speak Swahili?" his eyes pleaded.   I jumped into the conversation with Swahili eager to practice my Tanzanian Swahili. 

This young taxi-driver came alive telling me all about his family, life on the island, his adventures to the mainland, and even into Kenya, his love for Zanzibar, special places to visit, foods,  etc....  I was really enjoying his up-beat, detailed narration of his life and Zanzibar. Then came the question that threw me totally off-guard.   "What kind of pastor are you?"  "Errr.....what do you mean?" I asked this lively young Muslim taxi-driver.  "What do you preach?" 

The intensity of the question puzzled me.  What followed was 10 minutes of Holy Spirit directed conversation regarding the love of God, eternity, etc.... He seemed satisfied with my preaching doctrine, when suddenly I felt that nudging of the Spirit- 'ask him if he's born again'... I began to argue with the prompting...he's a Muslim....he's liable to go ballistic on me....'ask him if he's born-again'  

"My friend, are you born again?" I asked him gently.  He suddenly became very quiet and surprisingly answered "no not yet, but I think soon I will be."  We talked along these lines for another 15 minutes- about Jesus, about salvation, about knowing with conviction that you will go to heaven, etc...   He didn't receive Christ before the end of the drive, but he is so very close.  

Interestingly, we had an almost repeat conversation with a Muslim waiter the next day and with another Muslim taxi driver who took us back to the airport.  Such openness.  Such hunger for God. God is doing something in this place.  Across Tanzania I'm told that this is the case.  People are asking questions about God, about faith, about life, about truth. 

Would you pray for this land?  Would you pray that many  would come to know Christ this year? That many would decide to give their lives to Christ. That many would say- "yes I want to be born again."  And that I would be sensitive enough to the Spirit to hear and obey his inner promptings. 

From Burundi to Tanzania

As most of you already know, I had to leave Burundi 3 weeks ago to move to Tanzania.  This has been a very difficult period in my life. One that has left me with many unanswered questions. However, God has been extremely faithful. And I know that He still has a great plan for that little nation and for my life and ministry.  After much reflection, I wanted to share a few of my favorite memories and experiences from living in Burundi.  

#10- Baptism in Nyabihanga.  Jerome Ndayisaba and I had the chance to baptize 88 people in the frigid waters of a little river outside Nyabihanga in Mwaro- one of the least evangelized places in all of Burundi.  I shook for the rest of the day from the cold and ended up catching the flu! But what a way to get sick! 

#9- My parents visit to Burundi this past April.  My dad helped us build the tabernacle for the new church in Ngozi while my mom preached at the first ever Women's Ministries Conference.  They loved Burundi! 

#8-The mud-slide on the road back from Nyanza.  Many of you read the story last November of when Balela and I suddenly faced over a meter of mud flowing across the highway on our way back to Buja. We slid through the mud in 4wheel drive first gear as people dived left and right to get out of our way! It was incredible. 

#7-April 16th, 2008- the day the FNL rebels made their last assault on Buja.  For over 8 hours the skies lit up with mortars, rockets, and machine gun fire.  It was the most tense situation I have ever been in.  God demonstrated His faithfulness to me in a very dangerous time. 

#6-The Widdifield and Toller visit in October 2008.  We had a great pastoral seminar and an incredible service in Gatumba.  I will never forget the singing and dancing that night after pastor Doug preached- it was incredible. The joy on those people's faces was contagious. 

#5- The opportunity to help facilitate the construction of 20 tabernacles across Burundi with the Mike Shaeffer teams.  My favorite one was Gitega.  One of the main trusses almost bent in half while we were raising it.  It looked like an absolute disaster.  Today the church is running over 130 people! Through just those 20 churches we impacted well over a 1000 people for Christ. 

#4- Eating Burundian food at Alberic Ndayizeye's house with his family.  Rice-umeceri, bananas-igitokes, eggplant-itore, beans-ibiharage, potatoes-ibiraya, etc.... Always prepared to perfection!  We had great times of laughing, praying, and talking about life in Burundi and Jesus! He helped me so much in learning about Burundi. 

#3- My times with Chris Ngendakumana.  We had some of the best prayer times I've ever experienced crying out for Burundi, the church, our future ministries, lives etc... I will never forget the two times I was able to preach at his church and seeing people weeping at the altar as they cried out to God for revival in Burundi and the salvation of their friends.  The brother eats, drinks, and sleeps the message of Prayer. 

#2-Preaching on the streets of Bujumbura with Olivier Hazikimana with no sound equipment.  Just us and two chains in our hands to illustrate our message.  I've never been so nervous in my entire life, yet at the same time so blown away to see God moving in such a powerful way on the streets of a very wicked city saving lost people!  We would have crowds of people stopping on their way through town to hear what the "umuzungu" had to say. 

#1- The pastors' conferences at Kamenge with all of the BAGF pastors.  I will never forget preaching and praying for the pastors there.  They are the future of the work of God in that country.  In particular, I remember preaching, in my opinion, the most powerful message I've ever preached "It's Time to Get Your Hands Up" and seeing God move in such a glorious way.  

And last but not least, playing soccer with my friends like Pepe, Antonio, Matt, Paul, etc.. many of whom still don't know Christ, but God gave me so many chances to share Jesus with them.  I believe that soon and very soon they will come into the Kingdom! 

So many incredible memories! I believe many lives  were changed and impacted during my 2 years there.  Thank you so much to everyone who prayed and sacrificially gave to make it possible! Hopefully, God will open the door soon for me to be able to return.