Lessons from the Students’ Marathon 2012 (Part 2 of 3)

When the racers filed out to hit the wet roads that
morning, there’s no telling who’d win. Some of them had trained hard and long
for this one. But like in all races, there’d be few winners and many losers.

The consequence of losing this race weighed very
heavily on Dinah Tabu, a senior two student
of Excel Academy Secondary School in Yei.

She got the 3rd position in the 2011 marathon and is
currently relishing the rewards of victory, chief of which is the scholarship.

The barrage of domestic challenges she’s laboring
under made failure in this race unthinkable. So she prepared the much she could
and came for the race.

Dinah, among the first ten runners was less than a kilometer away from the finish line when she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

The hospital certified her okay but she’s brought back
to the race ground in a stretcher, totally exhausted and devastated.

Her expression of disappointment caught the attention
of many. It was somewhat comical but loaded with eternal instructions.

Dinah’s comments as she rolled on the floor and wailed
in sorrow that afternoon were, “Oh, I won’t go to school next year. Who
will help me? Who will pay my school fees now…??”

That cry, “Who will pay my school fees?” stuck
with me. I know the challenge of getting education here. Paying school fees is a huge challenge for many, but
what was her story? I went in search of Dinah to find out.

She confessed her preparation for this
marathon was faulty. She took it for granted that having won last year, this
one would be easier. She was wrong and therein was the first lesson.

When you strive for any prize, your planning, preparation,
practice, and performance counts for everything. Winning or losing is a
by-product, and aftereffect, of that effort.

Who we are today is a function of our self-discipline
from years gone by. It’s one thing to desire greatness but we must pay the right price. This is one core lesson we are teaching these students
with this sport.

The level of our preparation for
heaven sometimes ridicules the true worth of that promised eternal home and the Ultimate
Prize Himself. This was so true for Dinah as the depth of her disappointment revealed the value she’d placed on what was lost. This is the second lesson.

When disappointment involves shame
or loss, it can be devastating as we relive what we could have done right. But falling backward in despair or failing forward in hope are choices to
be made. Sometimes, we need people to help us pick the pieces and move on. I was there for Dinah.

A wonder and beauty we can’t fully
fathom is how God masterfully uses disappointments and other life’s challenges
with their accompanying frustrations to discipline us and ultimately glorify
Himself as we surrender all to Him.

We’ve promised to help Dinah
with her school fees in 2013. 

But every disappointment is not a
blessing in disguise. Rev
3:11 is instructive.

No one reading this piece
ever imagines the tragedy of missing heaven could be their portion. Such thoughts are abhorred but sadly, in the end, today’s cheap living will betray great hopes.

Let’s bear in mind that the resurrection into that glorious life belong only to those who rightly chose what and who to live or die for.

Lessons from the Students’ Marathon 2012 (Part 1 of 3)

I was
at the Finish Line, handing out the winning cards to the runners as they
arrived. Things were happening so fast I didn’t notice when he picked the 5th
position card and ran across the line.

But later, when Martin Tabu, a Senior 3 student of
Millennium Secondary School, Yei, mounted the stage to receive his award, the
crowd roared with applause and great joy. To our shock, he was disabled.  His right hand from about 3inches above the
wrist was cut-off.

The
Honorable Commissioner was so moved he promised the young man more incentives
for his gallantry.

He became an instant lesson and an example, not just to
disabled folks like him but to all of us.

Who’d have imagined that a disabled Martin Tabu could outrun hundreds of
able-body young men of his age to win a scholarship and other prizes at this
Marathon? He’d never run a Marathon before, but by registering to participate,
he expressed his confidence and showcased his hope.

Having won, he’s made believers out of many, including me.
Now, we know what this boy has always believed- there’s more in me.

The disability we see, feel or imagine in life may just be
a distraction if we permit it.

God acknowledged the determination He weaved into the heart
of man when He testified, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then
nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” Gen 11:6

It took a man among those wandering souls who believed in
himself well enough to move from saying- I can, to motivate and mobilize others
to say, we can. They began and could have-

Our disabilities or inadequacies may be obvious and
daunting, but nothing and no one can limit us more than ourselves through our fears. We must conquer our fears to enter and taste the fullness of our call.

Audre
Lorde said, “When I dare to be powerful- to
use my strength in the service of my vision then it becomes less and less
important whether I am afraid.” I agree with her.

You cannot be
greater or better than God’s dream for your life. That dream is within reach.
Seek and strive for it and like this good Adidas Ad below, your mantra may soon
be- Impossible is Nothing.

The 2012 Marathon in pictures

Our goal is straight forward– Find, disciple, send and support a few young South Sudanese who’d
pursue a career in sports and thereby glorify God as they conquer the world
with their skills.

Over 350 students from 13 schools, we are on course with this Yei Students’ Marathon.

These few pictures tell the story… as it happened on Saturday 30th June 2012.


Registration and accreditation in progress… Despite the heavy rain that delayed the race by 2hours, most of the racers arrived at 8am, with their hopes really high.


Pastor Stanley addressed the guests and the students at the event. With his focus on the big picture and the overall vision of the Ministry.

When we decided to name the Trophy, the Commissioner’s Cup, little did we know that this new Commissioner had been very actively involved in sports and youth development in the County of Yei for many years. He was overjoyed when he saw this trophy and heard our vision for this Marathon. He told us his story and later offered $600 reward to the School that wins the Cup.

I declared the rules, the route and revealed the rewards.

20 scholarships and 20 certificates for 20 winners (10 boys and 10 girls); cash prizes and medals for 1st to 3rd positions; beautiful plaques for 1st position (boys and girls); and a gorgeous trophy for the school that wins overall.


All set and ready to go…



It was a mad rush in the beginning, with the girls setting out first… and the boys followed after a few minutes. I was moved when I noticed all of them were running bare footed… but the muddy roads were a blessing in disguise.



The difference between the gifted and the ambitious became clear after 2kms. 



She beat the rest to the first place… as she did last year. I have much to say about this girl!



As the rest came in, we received them with shouts of joy and admiration. There were surprises and some serious lessons too.


It was grueling… some fainted…and the heat didn’t help either. But God is faithful… none was hurt.


When this girl saw many runners ahead of her halfway into the race, she collapsed. She was distraught and wept bitterly, saying, “I wont go to school next year because I didn’t win…”


The day I saw Reida Keji training alone on a lonely path two weeks before this race, I knew this moment of glory would be hers. She took the first place last year and has repeated same this year. This girl has a future on the tracks. We are discipling her with joy.


Grace Betty is just 15yrs old, in her first year in secondary school and running a long distance race for the first time in her life. She came in third. I have my eyes on you girl!


Ten boys and ten girl won academic scholarships for 2013 school year. The winners worked hard for there rewards.



Angelo Vuga took the first prize among the boys. He was one of the winners last year too. Carried shoulder high by friends and admirers… this boy is a star.

The school with the highest number
of points among the first 30 racers (boys and girls) won the Commissioner’s Cup- All Hail Yei
Girls Secondary School. This all girls school featured only 36 runners… and beat the other 12 schools with over 60points. Four of their students were among the first ten. Their prayers and dedication paid off.


The Principal of of Yei Girls Secondary School receiving the overall Trophy.


The girls headed to town to celebrate and show off their trophy.


My moment came after the award ceremony. I gathered the winners and invited them to a celebration and appreciation party the next day Sunday. I needed to cast the vision for them. They agreed to come.


This Marathon gave us a wonderful platform for teaching lessons in discipline,
endurance, determination, faith and many more. We cast the vision of the Sports Club and got a 100% buy-in.

Uncle Yemi Ayodele of Missioncares Inc. USA donated the Trophy for the Best School for this Marathon. He attended the party on Sunday and admonished the winners and the assistants that served. We had a great time.

Lunch was served  with drinks… we spent time connecting and taking personal and group photographs. There’s a family in the works within this group and I’m loving every bit of it. May Abba smile on this and be glorified.

Thanks for your prayers and support. We’ve set sail and together, we’ll get there.

Win another Marathon with us

The stage is set for tomorrow’s showdown.

Once again, 242 students from 13 secondary schools here in
Yei, South Sudan have registered to participate in this year’s Students’ Marathon.

This sports event will always be tagged the Race of Life. It is essentially a platform for outreach, where we’d persuade everyone to
enroll and run to win the ultimate race for the Crown of Life.

Our aims with this Marathon shall
always have five inseparable parts.

1.     Offer
someone an opportunity to receive Jesus and lead them in
their discipleship journey. Our primary target are the students and their teachers.

2.     Teach the
virtues of discipline, focus, endurance and preparation as core necessities for
excellence in life.

3.     We
shall provide prizes which shall include, cash
rewards, certificates, medals and academic scholarships for one
year for 20 winners (10 boys and 10
girls).

4.  Discover hidden talents gifted with endurance
running who may represent South Sudan in like international sport competitions
in the future.

5.     We’ve lunched a Sports Club to help us connect
with and disciple youths who seek a career in sports. We plan to provide
them with leadership skills
and professional training in their individual sport, all wrapped around a
Kingdom mindset. This Club is in its infancy and last year’s winners were our first members. If you are passionate about such a
ministry, we should be talking.

It’s hard to find the right words to describe my joy as I see these
youngsters training as early as 5am every morning since the past 3weeks. Several
groups run by our base with songs of hope and exciting ululations. 

I got really concerned recently when I heard some students were going on fasts and organizing special prayers so they can win. 

Will the competition be healthy? 

Have they overpriced the rewards?

How can I harvest and channel this longing for an earthly prize towards pursuing the ultimate thing? 

The tension is high and we need your prayers not just for a smooth event but for wisdom to connect with the inherent passion for glory manifest in these students.

                -Please pray that no
one will be hurt.

                -Pray that our
objectives will be achieved.

-Pray for a clement weather. It’s rainy season now.

                -Pray that eternal
lessons will be taught and learned through this Marathon.

-Pray for us, that Abba will help us and teach us how to engage and manage the zeal of these students for His eternal glory.

Apostle Paul said and please join me to say too, “I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.” 1Cor 9:27 The Message

How Jonah’s Nineveh fueled our furnace

Every Saturday, in an informal discipleship
setting, youths within my network in Yei gather for 3hours to discuss challenging life issues. We call this forum – The Furnace; and truly, it’s been blazing
hot for us all.

The heat generated at the last Students’
Prayer Conference in May has continued to warm our hearts as we focused on Abba’s
love for unreached peoples and especially those against us.

At that Prayer Conference, the largely unaddressed bitterness we
Southerners have for Omar
al-Bashir and his people was exposed.

The anger we feel is
understandable, as the level of wanton destruction in the south by President Bashir
and his army speak for itself. But the only
effective and lasting response to evil is love.

These youths and I have been
discussing love as central to Christian missions and ministry from the Book of Jonah and
pressing into practical demonstrations of the same.

Jonah’s consternation at the Lord’s command to go to
Nineveh resonates well with these young lads as we continue to cast our vision of taking the gospel northward.
It’s been a radical experience.

They asked, “Why did God spare Nineveh
but destroyed  Sodom and Gomorrah, when both Nations sinned greatly against Him?”

“Why should God allow our enemies to kill us, rape our mothers and sisters, destroy our land… and
still command us to love them…is that justice?”

The answers to these questions are not simple, especially if your scars are still fresh.

God rejoices in all His works. It is His nature to love. He can’t help Himself. He’ll never do wrong. He alone knows how to bring good from evil.

The perspectives of these
passionate folks on how best to deal with offense has been greatly challenged by the story of
Jonah. There’s
so much to learn from that story as it relates to us here in South Sudan.

Our “Nineveh” continues to hurt us
and everywhere we look, we see casualties nursing their loses with indignation,
hoping for Abba’s retribution.

Do you have a Nineveh type situation in your world? Most Christians in today’s South
Sudan and of course Nigeria, will say yes.

But what’s God saying about this Nineveh? Is
the solution… our safety, in the hands of the government? What is the
Church’s strategy for dealing with this-?

It’s doubtful the results we seek could come as
quickly as did the transformation of Jonah’s Nineveh. Most of us like Jonah, would wish for vengeance instead of salvation. How
many like Jonah, would rather die than go, or, would still go, knowing they’d be killed?

Much pain and suffering
will accompany an initial break-in, leading to an internal breakout, and
ultimately, the desired breakthrough.

When we meet tomorrow, I
will show my friends some video clips and tell them of Boko Haram’s terrorist attacks
in northern Nigeria. I’ll ask them what they’d do if such attacks happened in
our churches in South Sudan.

I’ll advise them to expect
persecution as one “good” reward for faithful service to the Lord.

We’ll feast on the rewards of
obedience, even unto death, as demanded and demonstrated by our Lord Jesus.

The Master loved us so much He
couldn’t deceive us about the sufferings we’d encounter for His fame sake. The Church
needs a long-term plan… response to the “Ninevehs” before us and especially the ones behind us.

A gracious discovery

While leading the Christian Union
fellowship at the Polytechnic Ibadan, I attended a meeting
with some friends where Bro Gbile
Akanni was teaching. This man’s perspicuous presentation of Biblical truths is outstanding.

His message that day centered on
Samson. The lessons from Samson’s utter disgust for that new jawbone of a donkey
with which he’d successfully slain a thousand Philistines totally overwhelmed me.

When he ended and made the altar
call, the atmosphere was so charged some people were already weeping before
they got to the altar. I was among them.

About twenty of us knelt before the
altar and for fifteen minutes or more, were left to pray and cry our hearts
out.

When the tempo of the prayers began
to die down, Bro Gbile raised the song – Oh
to be like thee and instantly we reprised with renewed passion for a few
more minutes.

He soon began to pray for us and
his first words hit me like lightening. He said rather emphatically, “May
you never succeed,” and paused for a few seconds, in a rather dramatic way.
I immediately opened my eyes and looked up at him. I wasn’t alone. Most
of us before the altar had our jaws drop in shock. He saw our bewilderment and
said, “Relax, I’ve not finished.”

He continued, “Oh, may you
never succeed or even appear successful outside the will of God for your life…
May you meet divine hindrances each time you step out of God’s purpose…”
The Amens were not loud; in fact, I was busy reasoning with and trying to
understand this kind of prayer.

At the end of that meeting we all
dissolved into the night without the usual banters that accompanied a gathering
of students from different campuses.

Late that night, I lay in bed
wondering if I haven’t jeopardized my hopes for a prosperous career
in computer science by saying Amen to this man’s insane prayers.

But I made a
shocking discovery that evening. My desire for riches, for a successful career,
to be accepted and respected, totally eclipsed my hunger for a pure heart and a
genuine fellowship with Jesus. I thought I loved God but it was clear I loved me more.

This discovery was a harsh awakening. It not only exposed my hidden struggles with this
dawning reality, it seemed to give it life. Though I was saved, my search for
success and purpose lasted years. Why?

Selective obedience and compromise trailed
my spiritual experience as I fumbled my way through life, pretending I knew
where I was going. This is the case for many people in church today.

The paradigm shift Bro Gbile’s
prayers foisted on me needed a midwife
to help birth. Though I wasn’t looking for one, that singular encounter stuck
with me. I had to understand or redefine the meaning of success and more importantly, I desperately needed to live free! Free from my shriveled dreams and the burden of people’s expectations.

Someone said and I agree, “Success
means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person
you believe you were meant to be.” That person may not make the headlines among men, but if they connect with their purpose, they’ll be in heaven’s dailies often.

Few years ago, Abba graciously
led me to Yei in South Sudan where I now work with young people, especially students. My search for success and even significance is over.

Success is not the acquisition of more stuff and titles. It’s a journey that begins with an awakening, leading to a discovery with God at its core.

The discovery of purpose bestows on one a sense of deep satisfaction and joy that flows from knowing you are doing what you were made for, with Abba’s smile as your fuel.

You can make this discovery.
Click here, to get some help.

In search of grace and mercy

A little over a week ago, I woke up
thinking of James Ibori, the former governor of
Delta State in Nigeria who few months ago pleaded guilty to 10 crimes relating to substantive
counts of money laundering, deception and fraud.

He’s
currently serving a 13years jail term in a UK prison. Someone said an “Amen!”
to that, right? The presiding Judge thought Ibori stole more than he was being
charged for. But the man pleaded guilty. Does that mean he said I’m sorry?

Click
here for my
earlier note in pidgin English, first posted on facebook,
reflecting on the possibility of James Ibori’s transformation in prison. I really like
this piece.

I’m
enjoying my reflections or should I say, daydreams, on various issues, including the possibility of a salvation
story in the lips of James Ibori and his gang
some day.

I’m equally wondering if gays and lesbians need to go
straight before
they come to Christ or gain access into our churches.

My heart is stirred as I continue
to observe how graceless we are becoming as Christians. Our near zero tolerance
for people with a broken, dubious past or personality is palpable. Our disdain
for even fellow believers with divergent views on matters we feel passionate about
is very worrisome. Don’t even mention those that totally oppose us… they die by fire.

As harmonious as the
words grace and mercy are, their reality and meaning seem skewed in the minds of many believers today. Mine inclusive. We preach and teach the agape love as our most potent virtue, but the world is desperately longing to experience it.

When Jesus responded to that criminal
hanging on the cross beside Him, “I promise you that today you will be in
Paradise with me.” Who do you think would have been more surprised?

a) The criminal who made the request, (like James Ibori and that gay…)

b) His fellow
crook who mocked, (like other criminals, caught and uncaught felons…)

c) The on-lookers
who heard the conversation (like you and I, church people…) or

d) The devil? (the chief accuser)

I’m forced to revisit this previous
blog- If
a pet becomes a witch, and I’m standing there with a machete in hand, ready
to slaughter this wicked creature (a
witch), that wanted to harm me or my family, (BUT FAILED thanks to Isaiah
54:17); and then the unexpected happens. It cries out with a human voice,
“Please, please forgive me!!!” 
Will I still kill it (him or her)? 

Several friends who commented on
this issue showed no interest in the life of the witch. In our view, it deserved death. But is this case any different
from that criminal crucified beside Jesus, who probably had numerous murders,
theft and unspoken crimes in his record; yet at the last minute sort for mercy
and found it? How do you address the tension that erupts inside you when what you experience contradicts your beliefs and values? 

You see, the unconditional grace
and mercies of God possess enough grit to absorb abuse and that’s why it’s
called AMAZING GRACE!! 

Remember that woman caught in the very act (John
8:10-11 ), Peter who denied his Lord thrice (Matthew
26:69-75), Zacchaeus the cheat (Luke 19:2-10) or that prostitute in (Luke
7:37). Not to mention Mary Magdalene. How did their stories end?

Well, you may say only Jesus can
show such mercies and grace. Truth is, if you can’t, then you won’t have it
either, because Jesus says, “Blessed are those who show mercy. They
will be treated mercifully.” (Matthew 5:7)

Oh that gays and lesbians, Boko Haram and Al Qaeda, James Ibori and
his likes in prison or on their way there, may come to Jesus unconditionally!

Oh that our hearts and our churches be open to receive all (not just moneybags
or convicted politicians or business people) that come seeking for the same grace and mercies of God in Christ,
poured out in us.

Even so Lord JESUS!

Why I mourn

When I heard the news of this Dana
Airline plane crash, I was so sure someone would survive. I was also sure
someone I knew closely would be on it. As the details came in, I was wrong and
right. No passenger or crew survived and people I knew were on that flight.

I’m not asking the usual questions
of why this person or why that…,
because why not this person or
that… is equally a valid question.  My reflections
on this national tragedy are stirred by some overwhelming and recurrent issues.

Many years ago, a dear friend of mine Frank Ozoemena once
said, “I’ll gladly be in a plane crash anywhere outside the shores of
Nigeria because my chances of survival are far higher. I’m almost certain I
will be rescued if I had a few minutes to live.” You can’t argue with him.

I’m wondering how it is that this plane crashed in a
populated area and no one on board was rescued. Did it explode on impact? Were
the first people at the scene of the crash active sympathetic rescuers or
seekers of lost treasures? A commuter bus wreck, a burning house, a plane crash
site are all gold mines of some sort. Their diggers know themselves.

Dana Airlines until
this crash was one of the best airlines in Nigeria, if not the best. Did their
standards begin to drop, and their frequent fliers never noticed the abracadabra? Was this a one-off
error (equipment or human) that has claimed many souls? Or was it sabotage?

As I chew on these hard and very distasteful questions, I’m
reminded that the baggage collectors we see hanging on those waste disposal
trucks once use to abhor the stench from the trash they ride with.  The way it becomes normal and acceptable to them is the same way poor services,
corruption, mediocrity and selfishness has become part of us.

It is the way we are now, isn’t it? Nigeria is a Country of
sub-standard products and services; where it is the fashion to cut corners at
the expense of human lives. It’s not in the Aviation industry alone. Even our
local road transport is sick. A commuter bus should not seat more than three
passengers in a row. But what do we have?

How often do we see a commercial bus on a one-way lane with
uniformed personnel in the front seat?

What of fake medications and fake spare parts that has
contributed to the death of millions of innocent people? Nigeria is probably
the most notorious market in the world where service providers tell you to
choose between a fake product and a genuine one.

What about building and house construction standards? What of
employment of staff? Experience is jettisoned for cheap inexperienced labour.

Nigeria is a dumping ground for all sorts of sub-standards
goods, and in terms of service delivery, the permissiveness of the environment
has encouraged persons and institutions to perform below the minimum, creating hegemony
of mediocrity. In China, South Africa and other Nations with very active trade links with Nigeria, the label, “For Nigerian Market” marks substandard goods.

So from sports to our universities, what we have is the
subversion of human dignity and the utter collapse of values and institutions.
This, in my view is the explainable why
to this tragedy, others before it and the ones to come.

If we fail to deliberately teach and model the truth to our children,
we hurt their innocent souls and mortgage their future, we shortchange ourselves and
ultimately disappoint our Creator.

Someone somewhere now knows their
name is not unique, as it appeared in that
manifest. But what if it was really you, yes, your name in that list? Would you
be ready?

The three days of National mourning
ends today and life as it were for many Nigerians will return to “normal“. In fact, some who should
care don’t, chiefly because someone very close to them wasn’t named in the
crash.

Our normal is the same mess from
yester years. The investigations have started, a few people will lose their
jobs, some airlines may sit up, security may be beefed up, our sense of safety
will hit new levels, some people may prefer road trips instead or suspends scheduled
trips altogether. Sadly, we soon forget and return to our woeful dispositions
to serious life issues.

We mourn with the mourners. But
none of us will continue to so do longer than the bereaved. We soon forget,
even when we say, “We’ll never forget…”

Every tragedy including this plane crash provides us
opportunities for learning some lessons about life but especially, the
afterlife. Remembering God just before takeoff in that aircraft with a silent
two minutes prayer said out of fear rather than genuine fellowship is
deception.

You need a truly personal relationship with Jesus Christ to
guarantee a happy landing at the destination on your ticket or on the other
side of eternity.

Caught with a camera

Getting arrested in a public place is never fun. Don’t even imagine it in a security charged Nation like this.

To start with, I’m a stranger; in fact, I don’t know where or
if my home office exist in this Country? Home is many hundreds of kilometers
away.

I don’t speak the language. I don’t know the rules and
regulations that apply. The law is what the guy in uniform says it is and that
depends on a wide range of things, including his mood and one’s skin colour.
2+2 is always 4 right? Not really. It could be 22 or whatever we agree it is
here for peace sake.

A simple gathering to celebrate a national event at the
Freedom Square could turn out to be your worst nightmare if you go with your
camera, intending to capture special moments without following protocol.

Telling my story and that of others with the aid of photos
is a wonderful thing. Sometimes the pictures say everything you’d wish to say
and more. But a camera on your neck here is almost equivalent to a hangman’s
noose. You could lose your freedom or the camera or both.

For me, it won’t be the first time I’d get arrested here for
using my camera at a gathering with VIPs present. For goodness sake, what is
wrong with taking a few shots to remember this
occasion? You may never know until you raise your camera for a shot.

“Hey you with the camera.”

“Yes, can I help you?”

“Give me the camera.” The stern looking guy
reached out to me and grabbed my camera before I could utter a word.

“Can I see your ID card?” He requested.

As I was pulling it out of my wallet, he asked, “Are
you a journalist?”

“No sir, I’m a pastor.” I never use this line here
unless I sense trouble. It almost never fails. He took my ID card
and literally read it front and back.

“Why are you taking photos here? Did you get permission?”
“How do I know you are not a spy?” “Where is your international
passport?” “What organization are you working with?”

“Come, follow me.” My fun ended as quickly as it
started. It was then I noticed the entire place was filled with security personnel, most of them in mufti.

He hands my camera and ID over to another officer who totally
ignored me and muttered something under his breath, expressing a measure of
disdain that spoke volumes.

I stood for a few seconds and then ventured towards him.
Before I could say a word he snarled, “Go away until the program is over,
then you come.” I knew not to argue with him. It irritates some of them when you are black skinned but speak English with a foreign accent.

Four hours later, as I walked toward their office, I
wondered how to present myself to these guys. They’ve shown me some respect as
a pastor by not locking me up in a small room. Should my demeanor suggest I’m
remorseful? What if that gives me away as weak? And they feel, now we’ve got him where we want him.

What if I approach them with a smile? And they says, “So you think this is funny?” Or
should I boldly claim my right? But I
don’t even know if I have any. You never know how your posture could help or
harm you with these guys.

So with every
seriousness I could conjure, I entered their office and began to plead and
totally overwhelmed them with, “I’m
sorry, forgive me.” I gave a brief history of my work here and it helped. They handed me my camera and ID card after
some serious verbal bashing. Humility had suspended judgment and opened a door for ministry.

I picked up my bruised ego from the rubbish heap where they
cast it and asked them if I could pray for them. They agreed. We became friends
and they visited me few days later. It doesn’t always end like this.

If your journeys bring you into any of the two Sudans and
you need to use your camera, please get necessary security clearance first.
 
When in doubt, don’t use it. You are safer without it.

Above all, listen to your host or guide. Ask them if it’s okay to use a camera. They know better and
can stand up for you if anything goes wrong.

If a pet becomes a witch

What will you do if a cat or bat or rat…
that has been terrorizing you at night with blood curdling cries and noises, gets
caught in your trap? And just before you smash its head to pieces, it cries out
with a human voice, “Please don’t kill me, have mercy.”

A cat
had been visiting the dormitory of the orphaned kids at Dreamland by night and
they prayed for it to die and looked forward to its demise.

After
many unsuccessful attempts, one night they trapped it, killed and burnt it to
ashes. They celebrated almost all night. As far as they were concerned, that
cat was a witch and had to die.

If
indeed it was a witch, that is, a human being somewhere, taking on the form of
a cat; should they kill it, knowing someone would die if they did?

All
manner of creatures make good pets in many homes. Could this cat be someone’s
pet scavenging for food at night? Could it be a stray cat seeking the warmth or
shelter?

These
were some of the questions that troubled my western missionary friends here
when they heard this story from the kids.

In a
culture where some creatures are categorized as evil or sacred and are either
killed or avoided, a missionary within that culture runs the risk of losing his
message if sentimental feelings for a “harmless” animal beclouds his
perspectives of the host culture.

Presenting the gospel in a way that is not
culturally offensive is what contextualization is all about. That’s our aim. Though
the gospel can be offensive, but as its bearers, we must clothe ourselves
with love, humbly learn from the host culture, find and use that path every culture
unconsciously, yet divinely paves for the gospel to enter it.  

Witches exist
and their manner of manifestation and mobility could be any creature of choice.

Do not
condemn what you’ve not prayerfully tried to understand. Spiritual things are
never logical. Efforts to analyze them and make sense of them end in
frustration and stupid debates.

The
question in this case though is how do you differentiate between a harmless cat
and a witch-cat? When is it real or an illusion? Good or bad?

In the
movie, The Matrix, Neo eventually realizes things
are not as they seem. The world he lives in is an illusion, an organized sham
foisted on him. But the spirit world is real and like Neo, we need an awakening
to first of all see how things really are, and then, reach out to God for fresh
perspectives as we engage the pressures of the culture of the people we are
sent to.

God in
His wisdom gifts us with the ability to discernment spirits (1Cor 12:10). This Spirit helps decipher
such matters.

I told
my friends, “When it becomes a nuisance or you think it’s sinister, kill
it. It was made for man and not the other way round.”

If any
man or woman foolishly decides to take-on the form of a lower creature like a
cat, as a witch and terrorizes me or my family, I’ll kill it without
hesitation. But what if it pleads for mercy? Well, until then.

I was very happy for the Dreamland kids
when they killed and burnt that cat. Don’t hate me, I grew up with pets and
love them. We have two dogs here. But there’s nothing one can give in exchange
for the sense of victory those children felt after killing that cat. It greatly
boosted their prayer life and faith in Jesus.

May Abba gift us landmark testimonies and victories
that will lift us to the next level.