The sun peeked its way over the horizon as we set off down the dusty road that we know so well. Our hearts were anticipating an amazing day of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encouraging those that we encountered. After 30 minutes of travel we arrived safely and were welcomed with open arms, because the Lungu family is our family. Amidst laughter and great conversation we had our breakfast, chicken and nshima.
After breakfast, the plan for the day was discussed. Samson informed us that one of the members of New Jerusalem Baptist had lost their baby girl the previous night. We needed to attend and encourage them at the funeral and burial. We would go see the family and then continue our program in Lupenga and Mangowa Villages. In these villages there are 8 people that are living with HIV/AIDS that we visit each month. With each month that passes, my love for these people grows and grows. They are not just names anymore, they are friends.
We arrived at Isaiah's house to encourage him and his wife. We found them under a blanket in their small one room house. It was very dark and quiet. Samson told us that they attended the Baptist church then decided they wanted to follow Islam and about a month ago they returned to the Baptist church. Isaiah and his wife have not made a choice to follow Jesus Christ at any point in their lives. With this news, my heart was saddened for them and determined to share Christ with them. We sat down and Samson asked me to share a word with them. I shared 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Then I explained to them that we believe that every person has a choice to follow God or follow Satan. We believe that because their baby girl wasn't old enough to choose Jesus or Satan we believe that she is in Heaven. I expressed to them again the importance of choosing Jesus and shared how to know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Samson reiterated what I had said, Zeria prayed, and we left.
We made our way to visit Esnart, Alice, and Iris. We then traveled to see Frida and her mom, Amai Tembo. When we arrived, Frida was giving her precious baby, Boyd, medicine for malaria and she invited us to sit. Not two minutes after we arrived, Mada and Seberia arrived with smiles and babies on their backs. When I saw her face, my heart raced with excitement, I prayed silently in my heart and I was hopeful for this appointed time that God had ordained, yet again.
Flashback- May 29, 2012, we found her at her home with her mother and several children surrounding her. She was great with child and was hearing our words but not really listening. Her name is Mada. We shared the Gospel with her. She rejected. We asked how she was forgiven of her sins, she said that the priest at the Catholic church cleansed her sins. Her friend interjected and asked her why she didn't want to know Jesus and reminded her that God had sent these people to share Christ with her. She rejected. We left. I was mad, angry, frustrated, and so put out with the lies of Satan and the false doctrines taught in so many churches. How could Mada know the truth? She was confused and blowing with the wind and following what sounded the most logical. I was determined to pray daily for her and the next time that I would come, I was going to pray for another opportunity to share Christ with her. I knew that the Holy Spirit was the only one that could convict her and show her the Truth of Jesus Christ.
Back to Frida's house where 4 women sat along the side of a bamboo woven house with babies in their laps. I shared Proverbs 3:5-8. All of these women have something in common, they are all sick. "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:7-8 I demonstrated to them how Satan can run us in circles and we never get anywhere but we remain lost with no direction. But if we trust in the Lord and His ways He will lead and guide us and in Him we find peace and healing. I felt that this was all that I was to share. Then I asked them if they had any questions. It was silent. Then Amai Tembo asked, "If I am sick and walking with Satan, how can I walk a straight path with the Lord?" My heart beat with great joy and excitement at the sound of her question. We then began to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because they are Catholic they believe that they must confess their sins to the earthly priest in the church. So we spent a lot of time in the book of Hebrews talking to them about the Tabernacle and the sacrifices that were made in the time before the death of Jesus. "Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.." Hebrews 10:11-12 They sat still, listening, astonished, and with awesome questions for over an hour as Samson and I taught and explained to them that Jesus was the Ultimate Sacrifice for our sins...past, present, and future. We also explained to them the fact that salvation is a gift and requires no work (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, 1 Timothy 1:9), but that because of our love for Jesus Christ we do good deeds (1 John 3:18)...not to earn salvation. At the end of our discussion we asked if they wanted to pray to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. With enthusiasm they raised their hands. Samson prayed and they followed. They prayed with conviction and power. As they prayed, I cried. I cried tears of joy because a month ago, Mada rejected Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation. This month after much prayer she accepted joyfully!
We made our way back to the funeral house where I was asked to enter the home where the body of the baby was kept. I knew it was coming, my heart had been full of joy because of the experience at Frida's house, but now the sadness of loss was beginning to creep into my heart. I slipped off my shoes and stepped onto the floor made of packed dirt. I grabbed the hand of the woman next to me and my eyes became filled with tears. The body of this precious one was being laid to rest. The other side of my heart knew that this baby was in Heaven with Jesus but the grief felt by the parents, I can only dare to imagine. Then I was filled with joy and excitement thinking about Heaven. My mind drifted back to Isaiah and his wife, lost and without Jesus, no hope. But they have heard the Gospel and I began to wonder why they wouldn't want to know Christ, what was holding them back? I prayed and prayed as the two women lined the small coffin with the diapers and clothes of the baby girl. Then they laid her small body into the coffin and it was nailed closed with great reverence. I kept thinking, "this is just a body, she is not here anymore, she is in Heaven. But the loss here on earth is still great...Lord please allow our presence to be a comfort to this family." We made the 1 kilometer walk to the graveyard and laid her body to rest. We returned to the home and again I was asked to share a word with the family. This time, the Lord laid on my heart, "For behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create a Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days..." Isaiah 65:17-20a I wanted Isaiah and his wife to know that there is hope and place of no tears....Heaven. We again shared how to know Jesus Christ and the free gift of salvation found in Him alone. We prayed, stood, shook their hands, and quietly left the house with singing.
As we drove the dusty road home after a long day of seeing four women pray to receive Christ and burying a 9 month old. My heart was full. Zeria and I were beaming all of the way home. We were so happy about the new sisters in Christ. Then as our minds drifted, we realized the sadness of Isaiah and his wife because they are without Christ. I am praying...daily...for the salvation of Isaiah and his wife. Praying that the Lord will give me another chance to share Christ with them, maybe they will turn to Him and find hope after the loss of their precious baby girl.
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