Laying a Foundation
I think I may have used this title before, but those of you who know something about building know the foundation is crucial. I could not think of a more appropriate way to frame this update.
We have been in Siavonga for a week now. The first several days we were just trying to get where we are staying set up and livable. We have been to several local government offices to announce our presences and explain why they will be seeing us around town (normal procedure).
We spent a good deal of time trying to prepare ourselves spiritually through prayer and study.
What I really want to share with you is a meeting we had on Friday with a man we have previously written about. You may remember the name Victor. We met Victor several months ago at the motel we stay at while in Siavonga. He is engaged to Orlanda who is a manager at the motel. You may also remember we ran across Victor in the bush one day biking his way to visit his cousin some 40 kilometers out of Siavonga. He was alone and had a flat tire. It was hot and he had nothing to drink. As we pulled up I realized I knew this man but failed to recognize him because of where we found him. I never expected to run across him in that location. Interestingly he was about 500 meters from the place we were going. He accompanied us and gave us great encouragement in some difficult circumstances.
As Cyndi and I talked later we both felt strongly God had but him in our path for some reason. One of our desires is to invest in both of their lives in hopes of helping them have a Godly marriage, which is uncommon in their culture. We decided we need to meet with Victor about the possibility of him assisting us with language, meeting people, maybe doing some translating and even traveling with us into the bush. We really had no idea how he might respond to any of our suggestions. We set up a meeting and almost had an interview as we asked him to share with us some things about his spiritual life.
As we sat outside overlooking Lake Karibe an amazing story began to unfold before us. Victor shared with us he had gone to church as a young boy. He grew up very poor, no shoes and tattered clothes. In his youth choir he was ridiculed by a young lady who didn’t want to stand near him and three of his friends afraid she might catch lice. He stopped going to church.
While he was in the 10th grade he began to drink Chibuku (local Beer). He drank almost ever day. That continued until he was in the 12th grade when after encouragement from friends he began to slow the frequency. He began to sense God speaking to him suggesting he need Christ in his life. He thought it senseless for a single man, with no job, or house to receive Christ and decided he should wait. He continued to sense conviction but again decide he should wait and should first attend college. He even reached a point of claiming the story of the thief on the cross with Jesus. The Bible said he would be with Jesus in paradise and he was on his death bed; that would work for Victor. Sometime later he got into a fight with his older brother over something silly. Victor doesn’t even remember what the fight was about. His brother picked up an axe handle and smashed it over Victor’s head. Victor thought he was dead. He even sensed being escorted to hell, passing all his family and friends crying for him as they were going to Heaven. He remembers people sobbing thinking he was in fact dead. He somehow touched his leg and thought he felt some sensation. He did it again and began to regain consciousness. He rose to his feet and began running exclaiming he was alive. He feels God gave him a second chance, and shortly there-after was Born Again as he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
Victor went on the share with us God has given him a heart for sharing Christ with his Tonga Tribe in the rural areas we are hoping to work in. He again thought he would have to wait. He does not have the logistical means at this point in life to live his dream. Interestingly we have the logistical means but don’t know the language.
So what do you think? Was it coincidence we met Victor on that hot day with a flat tire or does God work in that way? Is it possible there is a plan for each of our lives put into place by the Creator of the universe? Have we become so busy or preoccupied with our own agendas we miss it?
It is not yet fully revealed all that God may have in store for this relationship but I am confident it will be glorious. Saturday as the three of us went out telling stories three young women withstood the opposing comments to make a decision to accept Christ.
We ask you pray God would continue to make clear where He is at work and how we should participate.
Pray that we can cast a vision to Victor and through Victor that Zambians will catch and understand their responsibility in starting churches that will sustain themselves.
We have been in Siavonga for a week now. The first several days we were just trying to get where we are staying set up and livable. We have been to several local government offices to announce our presences and explain why they will be seeing us around town (normal procedure).
We spent a good deal of time trying to prepare ourselves spiritually through prayer and study.
What I really want to share with you is a meeting we had on Friday with a man we have previously written about. You may remember the name Victor. We met Victor several months ago at the motel we stay at while in Siavonga. He is engaged to Orlanda who is a manager at the motel. You may also remember we ran across Victor in the bush one day biking his way to visit his cousin some 40 kilometers out of Siavonga. He was alone and had a flat tire. It was hot and he had nothing to drink. As we pulled up I realized I knew this man but failed to recognize him because of where we found him. I never expected to run across him in that location. Interestingly he was about 500 meters from the place we were going. He accompanied us and gave us great encouragement in some difficult circumstances.
As Cyndi and I talked later we both felt strongly God had but him in our path for some reason. One of our desires is to invest in both of their lives in hopes of helping them have a Godly marriage, which is uncommon in their culture. We decided we need to meet with Victor about the possibility of him assisting us with language, meeting people, maybe doing some translating and even traveling with us into the bush. We really had no idea how he might respond to any of our suggestions. We set up a meeting and almost had an interview as we asked him to share with us some things about his spiritual life.
As we sat outside overlooking Lake Karibe an amazing story began to unfold before us. Victor shared with us he had gone to church as a young boy. He grew up very poor, no shoes and tattered clothes. In his youth choir he was ridiculed by a young lady who didn’t want to stand near him and three of his friends afraid she might catch lice. He stopped going to church.
While he was in the 10th grade he began to drink Chibuku (local Beer). He drank almost ever day. That continued until he was in the 12th grade when after encouragement from friends he began to slow the frequency. He began to sense God speaking to him suggesting he need Christ in his life. He thought it senseless for a single man, with no job, or house to receive Christ and decided he should wait. He continued to sense conviction but again decide he should wait and should first attend college. He even reached a point of claiming the story of the thief on the cross with Jesus. The Bible said he would be with Jesus in paradise and he was on his death bed; that would work for Victor. Sometime later he got into a fight with his older brother over something silly. Victor doesn’t even remember what the fight was about. His brother picked up an axe handle and smashed it over Victor’s head. Victor thought he was dead. He even sensed being escorted to hell, passing all his family and friends crying for him as they were going to Heaven. He remembers people sobbing thinking he was in fact dead. He somehow touched his leg and thought he felt some sensation. He did it again and began to regain consciousness. He rose to his feet and began running exclaiming he was alive. He feels God gave him a second chance, and shortly there-after was Born Again as he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
Victor went on the share with us God has given him a heart for sharing Christ with his Tonga Tribe in the rural areas we are hoping to work in. He again thought he would have to wait. He does not have the logistical means at this point in life to live his dream. Interestingly we have the logistical means but don’t know the language.
So what do you think? Was it coincidence we met Victor on that hot day with a flat tire or does God work in that way? Is it possible there is a plan for each of our lives put into place by the Creator of the universe? Have we become so busy or preoccupied with our own agendas we miss it?
It is not yet fully revealed all that God may have in store for this relationship but I am confident it will be glorious. Saturday as the three of us went out telling stories three young women withstood the opposing comments to make a decision to accept Christ.
We ask you pray God would continue to make clear where He is at work and how we should participate.
Pray that we can cast a vision to Victor and through Victor that Zambians will catch and understand their responsibility in starting churches that will sustain themselves.
posted by Tommy and Cyndi at 5:56 PM
1 Comments:
Just tried to send an email. Not sure why that screen came up.
Just read your recent blog (today's). How wonderful. Isn't that just like God, the Faithful and True, to work in His own Timing. Now we have some more names to pray over. Sounds like God has been working all along to get you and Victor together.
May we all be Faithful and True, like our Father. Margaret
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