from bullets to bazookas

departures and appearances

I have some interesting and sad developments to share. Last Sunday, I was again ushering; Bismale came to church early but stayed outside till the service began. She looked downcast and unhappy. I asked her if everything was alright and noticed she had tears in her eyes. "I am not coming back to this church again" she said. Stunned, I asked her what had happened. "Well I was getting used to the other sisters, and I liked them, but they have gone, and I don't like these new sisters. This one, what is her name, asked me a hundred questions that even my mother never asks me. I am very ashamed. I didn't come to church last night, and I came today to let you now that I will not be coming back." I calmed her down and explained that this is how things are, and transfers usually happen just so you don't get used to just one or two people and that you can be exposed to different people and learn something new from each one. If there is one she doesn't like, she can be assured that just like the ones she liked just left, the ones she does not like will leave sometime. Do not look at people; just come to church to learn the Word of God, and to get your life right with God. I reminded her of how much God has helped her since she started going to church, and I begged her to continue to go to church. She did not say much after that, and after service, I did not have the heart to face her.

For the rest of the week, I went through a silent lament. I read the book of Lamentations to find out what Jeremiah was lamenting about. Everything I had seen since I arrived here in Sierra Leone made perfect sense after the reading. I was also assured from verses 26 to 30 of chapter 3. Also verses 35 to 37 of the same chapter were of particular comfort considering the circumstances here.

Fearing her departure, this Saturday, I prayed that God would bring her back, and something special would happen. I am not surprised that this prayer was answered like many others. She was the first to arrive, and I was encouraged to pray for her throughout the entire service. I noticed that she herself was praying like never before. I then said a simple prayer asking for delivery on the promise of the Spirit. The answer came in just ten minutes. Just several weeks before, she sat next to another girl who had proof of the Spirit, and just laughed. This weekend, I caught her laughing at herself. Though I was happy for her, I said nothing to her because my day of departure is looming over my head.

I am not in Bo this week. I am still in Waterloo, and will only remain for a very short time. I Will be traveling, but I'll be leaving Africa.

Last Monday, when I had gone into town as I usually do on Mondays, after visiting the Internet cafe, I went to Congo Cross to visit friends I normally visit. There is a young man named Philip who I normally visit. That day however, Philip had not arrived home from school. I sat down and spoke to his father for quite some time. He is from Bo and was telling me about the place. After the conversation, I stopped to say hello to the neighbours who greet me every time I go around. There is a young 16 year old girl that David and I met the first time we had gone to visit Philip. She lives right next door to Philip. Usually, after visiting with Philip, he usually walks me out to Mommy Dupigney's house which is just across the main street. The girl, Tigi, joins him as well. (It is common here in Salone for hosts, out of courtesy, to walk you down to the main street after you visit with them. This has happened on many occasions when Bro. Samuel and I had visited homes.) This time, as usual, Tigi walked me out to Mommy Dupigney's house though Philip wasn't around. Someone who saw us reported to the elders that they saw me with a young unsaved woman who was dressed very immodestly. When the news got to me, they had already stripped the girl of what she was wearing. (She was wearing pants and a tee-shirt. I am told she was wearing a mini-skirt). In a country where you don't have to turn your neck to see naked flesh, I feel that pants and a tee-shirt can be considered modest. So I am judged now on the "appearance of evil" - accepting the courtesy of a 16 year old, unsaved girl. I am guilty. I am not supposed to fellowship with un-believers I am told.

Of all the questions I need answers to, I now have another question that needs an answer when I get to my "home up yonder": Why did Jesus speak alone to a Samaritan woman who was living in open sin - while his disciples were away? "...For Jews have no dealing with Samaritans" (John 4:9).

I am reminded of the liberty that Christians have - not a liberty to do anything we feel like doing, but the liberty to judge for ourselves what is right. This liberty is spoken of in Romans 14. We do not live by law, but by grace. We grow in grace; it is not a massive barrel dropped upon us. God knows what we need, and He deals with us as sons, not as bastards. "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. I know, and I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean... (Romans 14:13,14)

This incident has been just another brick in the huge wall that I had been in front of since my arrival here. It is apparent that I am not the only one standing before this wall. Rather than continue to kick at it, I have decided to voluntarily retire from this mission in Africa. Last week, I found myself filling out applications to volunteer with NGOs here in Sierra Leone, but I never turned the applications in. I feel it's time for me to leave. "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are all in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them..." (Ecclesiastes 9:1). With that chapter as a confirmation, I will soon bid goodbye to Africa.

I will remember and continue to pray for Bismalie, Thomas and Nancy, Frank, and everyone else who I had come across.

Thankfully, all last week I had been up at the site working hard. This kept my mind away from all of this. The work is progressing very well and I was happy to go up and help carry head-pans of dirt, stone, and help keep two 2000 gallon tanks filled with water. I now feel I have spent blood, sweat, and tears in Salone; the last being the hardest for me.

Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall

Happy Birthday Chris M!

posted by bthomas24 @ 12:41 PM