One life

The news pierced my heart catching me totally off guard.

"Kibwana just passed away!"

"What???" I immediately asked Mohamed.

"He died of malaria on Monday" came the somber answer. The unexpected news left me stunned as the call on my cell-phone ended as abruptly as it had started.

I began to reflect on my short involvement with this young man's life. Many of you will remember the story. I wrote about it last July in a blog entry entitled: "What Does Jesus Think About Muslims?" (www.burundi-sk.blogspot.com)

The seemingly random circumstances of a trailer repair caused our paths to cross. Me- brand new to Dar. Unsure of why God had brought me here. Confused about the recent events of Burundi. Kibwana- the seasoned welder. Quiet. Friendly. Eager for some work. A Muslim.

Our conversation will burn inside my heart forever. God's love. The Spirit's drawing of a man's soul. A sincere question- "What does your Jesus think about us Muslims?" A heart-felt response that changed his eternal destiny. A friendship that developed.

As I reflected, gratitude welled up in my heart. Gratitude that I knew Kibwana was in the secure arms of Christ. Gratitude that the Gospel had reached him just a few months before his untimely demise. Gratitude that I had been obedient to share. Gratitude that he had the courage to respond by faith. Gratitude that God still loves Muslims!

Then a sense of urgency swept over me. I remembered what Bohnke said once upon a time. "The Gospel is eternal, but we don't have eternity to share it." There's an urgency when it comes to souls. Life is short. Eternity is long. We are but a thread that can snap at any given moment. So many people still haven't heard.

Oswald Smith used to say: "No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice while there are still people who have not heard it once." My heart is gripped with the force of this statement.

Lastly, the words of my favorite poem flashed to mind: "ONE LIFE WILL SOON BE PAST. ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR CHRIST THE KING WILL LAST".

May we be stirred with Urgency in this hour.

Can't You Read?

We were hungry and more than slightly impatient to get some food!

Roger had invited us to meet them for lunch at a new Chinese restaurant. As we pulled into the parking lot an irate guard jumped into the middle of the road yelling at us to turn around.

I rolled down my window aggravated by the added delay. In my politest and most composed Swahili I asked the guard "to get out of the way!" He stubbornly refused informing us that we weren't allowed to park in the parking lot next to the Chinese restaurant. The exchange went back and forth for several minutes. My car engine was still running in the drive way as the guard pointed, yelled, and demanded me to move my vehicle. I appealed to every form of logic I could think of to get permission to park in the lot next to the Chinese restaurant.

We weren't getting anywhere fast. Then an idea struck me with great force! I pointed to the big sign on the main road. "It has an arrow pointing this way with chinese characters all over it" I nearly hissed in frustration. Un-phased by my attempt at Western logic, the guard cooly replied: "can't you read?"

"READ- READ WHAT?!?!"

"Yes... read....the board" he retorted. "It says no parking in this lot!"

"What are you talking about?!" I demanded- "it's all in Chinese"

"That's not my problem- you should learn Chinese, then you would know not to come into this parking lot."

"err......" I stared off into space.

A no parking sign for a Chinese restaurant next to the restaurant itself in a country where no one speaks Chinese. Made total sense to me. I slowly got back into the car, threw it into reverse, and left.

Who knew? I need to learn Chinese to live in Tanzania. I will have to keep that in the back of my mind for language study possibilities on my next term.

Early Morning Rescue

My phone rang at 4.36 AM. My colleague, Roger Kuykendall, was on the line. "We need you here at the guest house and we need you fast.....and make sure you pick up two taxis on the way."

In an early morning state of delirium I flew down the road in my vehicle veering towards the taxi stand at break neck speed. In jumbled "I should still be in bed" Swahili I barked orders for two taxi drivers to follow me to the guest house.

We made it to the guest house in an astounding 10 minutes. The team was there scrambling around with luggage. Their bus to take them to the airport had broken down minutes before. Several were still sweating from trying to push the 21 seater. However, this bus was going nowhere fast; but, they had a plane to catch! Roger did his best to keep people calm and give them direction.

We quickly loaded up the 19 members of the team and their luggage in 4 vehicles- including the two taxis. Roger had a plan- "take the short-cut; save time. drive fast- follow me!" Sounded good to me. I relayed the plan to the taxi drivers. "READY?" I almost shouted feeling the adrenaline of a high speed drive to the airport!

Their faces told me everything. "We can't go that way." "WHAT!?!" I almost screeched. I had come to far to fail now in helping Roger get this team to the airport on time. "We don't have any fuel in our cars." It slowly sunk in as only things can do at 4.53 AM. "You're a taxi driver for crying out loud- how can you not have any fuel?!?" I stammered incredulously.

"We have to go the other way rafiki (friend)....where the station is located" I just blinked off into the humid Dar darkness. "uhhhh....yah......okay" I mumbled. So instead of a break-neck speed early morning adventure to the airport following Roger, we instead crept along back to the station following the taxi drivers. Then we proceeded to pain-stakingly watch precious minutes disappear as they filled their tanks.

As I sat there it hit me. These guys just weren't prepared for a 4.36 AM airport run. They failed to be ready when they were needed the most. The funny thing about the whole story is that taxi stand where I first picked them up is 30 feet from the petrol station. So close; so far. I continued to ponder the situation as only one can do at 5.10 in the morning.

It hit me again- this is just like so many Christians. God has a plan. There is a specific purpose and agenda that He is accomplishing in our lives. He has everything set. The way is marked out. The steps are ordained. "Ready?" he asks. "Ummm........not really God.....you see......" and then come the excuses fast and furious.

Here at our church we are in a 40 day Prayer Initiative where we are seeking God for His direction and purpose for 2010. I challenge the people often: "Prayer is preparation!" "Prayer is positioning your heart to be ready!" "Prayer is saying 'HERE I AM'"- even when God calls at 4.36 AM. May our hearts be filled to overflowing with a determination to do His will no matter when, where, or what He calls us to.

(In case you are wondering the team made it to the airport thanks mostly to the fact that I still had my early morning break-neck speed adventure through the streets of Dar.)

God's 3 Favorite Words

Hebrews 10:9 "Then he said, 'Here I am, I have come to do your will"

At the beginning of 2010, I've been thinking about what kind of attitude it takes to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. It seems to me that all too often Christians approach God with a hidden agenda. We want God to bless our plans, goals, and dreams. We think that our walk with the Lord is all about us and our comfort. Rather, I think the Lord looks for people who pray: "God I want to be a part of what you are doing! I want to accomplish your agenda, your plan, your dreams, and your purposes."

Instead of saying: "God bless what I'm doing" we need to pray "God how can I be apart of what you are already blessing". God has 3 favorite words that He loves to hear: "Here I am!" If you look through scripture at the great heroes of the faith- people like Abraham, Moses, Samuel, etc.. there seems to be at least one common denominator. They all had experiences where God called them and they said: "HERE I AM!" Their lives were full of great acts of faith, great testimonies of God's power, and great accounts of God's faithfulness. Their attitude in serving God was simple: "HERE I AM"

The Hebrew equivalent of "Here I AM" is "Na'am". It's the same in Swahili. In Swahili culture when someone is called by their first name they drop everything they are doing and come running. At the same time they respond saying: "Na'am". This is especially true of an employee or a domestic servant at a house. The idea is that they are totally available and willing to be apart of whatever plan, agenda, etc.. the boss has in mind.

The same is true for us in our service of the Lord. Too many people come to God and say: "Let's make a deal God". "I'll serve you if..... I'll go if...... I'll share with that person if..... I'll make myself available if....." God is looking for people to stop trying to make a deal with Him; He longs to hear His 3 favorite words- "HERE I AM LORD".

In Hebrews 10 Jesus models this for us so beautifully. He comes to the Father and says: "HERE I AM" He never expects anything more from us than He has already modeled. He willingly gave His life on the cross. No one forced Him. He knew it was the will of God for Him to come to earth and redeem our fallen race. So He stood before the Father and spoke the Father's 3 favorite words- "HERE I AM- I've come to do your will". His willingness opened the way for us to be redeemed. His attitude of surrender opened the way for the purposes of God.

I want to be the kind of person whose life becomes a vehicle for the purposes of God to be accomplished. HERE I AM! How about you?

Fishing in the Sewer

Driving along the road near my house I was startled- not so much because of the usual traffic jam on the busy road, but because of a solitary fisherman.

He was totally oblivious to the hundreds of vehicles barely scraping by him on the side of the road. Leaning over the main drainage canal, he had his pole dangling in the water. I was shocked. The drainage water is nasty- full of garbage bags, plastic wrappers, chemical run-off from urbanization, human waste etc... African urbanization at its worst. Yet, none of this seemed to affect him in the least. Diligently he tried to hook some puny fish that wouldn't have filled up a cat.

As I considered how preposterous his efforts seemed, an even more ludicrous thought suddenly crossed my mind. Dar es Salaam is built on the edge of the Indian Ocean. A body of water that is teeming with fish. This fisherman was standing no more than 1/2 mile from the beach at his current location. Rather than enjoying the white sandy coast lines of Tanzania with the possibility of some wonderful catches like tuna, red snapper, etc... he is fishing for minnows in a polluted urban drainage ditch.

I don't know about you- but fishing in the sewer has never really been my forte.

Yet, it occurs to me that this is a brilliantly clear picture of where many Christians find themselves in 2010. For many, 2009 was difficult at best and they have contented themselves with fishing for God's purposes, plans, and direction in the murky waters of life. A drainage ditch congested by vehicles and plastic bags occupies their pursuit. Meanwhile, the Ocean of God's immeasurable grace, unfathomable goodness, and relentless love is nearby.

I recently preached a message with 3 points that brought out this idea. "NOW IS THE TIME"- to get over our disillusionment with other people, to reject the devil's lies, to let go of the hurts and wounds of the past, and to embrace the Lord's purposes and wonderful plans. "THIS IS THE PLACE"-to allow God to move in our lives, to give Him free reign to accomplish His will, to receive everything He has for us, to make a difference for God. "I AM THE ONE" - to do something for the Lord, to experience His grace and mercy, to touch other for Christ, to enjoy the Ocean of His presence!

I don't know about you- but I'm done fishing for minnows in Dar sewage water! I want the Ocean!

Leaving a Legacy on Zanzibar

"Dr. Livingstone I presume?"

Every heard the famous question that New York Herald reporter Henry Stanley asked when meeting the famous explorer for the first time? He had been tracking him down for over year through the interior of Tanzania.  Livingstone would pass away just a few months after this famous question.  

Two of Livingstone's most trusted personal attendants during his East African wanderings were Chuma and Susi.  In order to preserve their beloved patron's body for the 4 month haul back from the lake area to Bagamoyo they cut out his heart and buried it on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. His body was later shipped to Zanzibar before being buried in Westminister Abby. In remuneration for their heroic feat both men were given a sum of money.   

One of the porters invested his money to buy a little piece of land on the island of Zanzibar just outside of the capital city- Stone Town.  There an Anglican church was built as well as a cemetery for him to be buried.  He received Christ through the witness of  Dr. Livingstone and could no longer be buried in the Islamic cemetery's of Zanzibar.  

 Fast-forward history 100 some years.  

In the late 1990's, the T.A.G was offered this piece of land by the Anglican church due to a  lack of funds as well as  increasing pressure from the Islamic neighbors.  They regarded the little Christian cemetery and church as an eye-sore.   The T.A.G accepted the offer- bought the land, and planted a small church.   

I first visited this piece of land in 1999- 10 years ago and preached my very first sermon in Tanzania. The church was running somewhere around 70 people.  I was 19 years old having just completed my freshman year at ORU.  Over the past decade, I have often wondered how the little church was doing.   

Last week my brother Adam and I had the chance to visit and to paint the recently completed primary and English learning school on the property.  Fittingly, it is named Livingstone Academy. To my shock the church has grown to over 900 and has planted 6 other churches on the island.  We were told that almost everyday someone comes to the property asking how to be born-again.  The Presence of God was very strong.  Clearly, The Lord is doing something great on the island! 

I marveled as I put on the primer inside the school building: "Livingstone's life is still touching people over a hundred and thirty years later!" "What a legacy in missions!" Please pray that God will continue to do a powerful work on the island of Zanzibar.  

And may each of our lives be trans-generational: Impacting people both here and now as well as for the future with Christ's love! 

The Chapati Eating Thief of Tandala

It was early- the rain had been pouring down for hours.  We sat in a small African living room in the highlands of Tanzania.   Fog covered much of the ground and I was shivering.  The elevation made breathing more difficult than usual.  Thick pine forests surrounded the small village high in the Tandala, Makete area.   We had come to this place to check the progress of a community development project to help a local church.   

I was struck with the serenity and beauty of this mountainous part of Africa as we ate breakfast with the local pastor.  It reminded me of the pine forests of Colorado with little African villages interspersed.  Such a combination was totally new to me. As we drank the piping hot chai served to us  that one of my traveling companions called "diabetes in a cup" due to the inordinately high sugar content, I suddenly saw the cat.   

He was mid-night black with a nefarious feline gaze that told me he was up to no good! In Africa cats are not usually kept as pets.  And it the rare cases, they are certainly not welcome around the dining table.     Yet, there he was sitting on his haunches staring right at my chapati.   I tore a piece off to dip into my sugary chai and the feline's eyes followed my every move.   A bit unnerved by the intensity of this cat's gaze, I jumped into Swahili: "so.... pastor.....I see there's a cat in the living room." I hoped he would get the hint.  

"Yes, indeed, my brother" he replied.  "And we are eating its favorite food!" 

"What?" I asked bewildered.  In an attempt to answer my question through demonstration he threw half of his chapati on the floor.  POW! The feisty feline greedily pounced on it like most cats attack mice.  Within seconds, the African flat-bread was devoured.  Then came the icy stare again as if to say: "that was just a warm-up exercise!"

I was in shock.  Never in all of my life have I ever seen a cat that eats flour products!

 "So does your cat eat meat?"  "No not really." 

  "Errr....maybe mice?"  "Hmm....no, not much."  

"Err..what does it eat then?"   "CHAPATIS!!!" came the answer.   

Even as I asked the question, the cat jumped up onto it's hind legs and started to sniff my plate with greedy anticipation.  Half a chapati remained.   "Get down you thief!" I blurted out.  "Miaowwww" cried the chapati stalker.  It then began to circle my feet biding it's time as if to say: "you just wait buster- I'll have that chapati yet!" 

 Maybe the altitude of this highland African village had messed with it's feline instincts.  Possibly the sight of pine forests in middle of Africa caused it to loose it's senses.  Or maybe it was the freezing cold temperatures where they say it snowed a couple of months ago.  Whatever the reason- this cat was messed up!  I mean whoever heard of a cat eating chapatis.  

As I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that this cat needed serious therapy to overcome its eating habits and its kleptomaniac approach to life.  A cat feeding only on chapatis will at some point loose all nutrition. 

I think there are some similarities with Christians. 

 Many Christians much like this cat feed on all kinds of things.  Entertainment, sports,  shopping, friends, hobbies, etc... none of which are bad;   these are much like chapatis.   We pounce on them eagerly and devour them quickly.  We follow there every movement.  Sadly, the solid meat of the Word of God is a long-forgotten concept.  We are enamored by chapatis.   At some point, however,  an unhealthy spiritual diet will catch up to us like an unhealthy feline diet.  Here's my challenge: find the Word, read the Word, meditate on the Word, digest the Word, and live the Word.