My encounter with John, a student who started Bible
classes and discipleship lessons at our base in July 2005 will remain fresh in
my memory for a long time.
It was the second day of the “Bible School” as we called
it, thanks to Victory Bible Institute, Tulsa Oklahoma for letting us use their
materials; 36 of the 55 students who enrolled had arrived and I was about the
start the class when I noticed John did not have a Bible. “John where’s your
Bible?”
it, thanks to Victory Bible Institute, Tulsa Oklahoma for letting us use their
materials; 36 of the 55 students who enrolled had arrived and I was about the
start the class when I noticed John did not have a Bible. “John where’s your
Bible?”
“I don’t have.”
“Why?”
“I don’t have money to buy one.” He replied.
“How
much is a Bible?” I asked.
much is a Bible?” I asked.
“Two thousand five hundred shillings” someone
replied (South Sudan was using Ugandan Shillings until 2007).
replied (South Sudan was using Ugandan Shillings until 2007).
With his head
now bowed, I noticed he was wearing a very neat designer T-shirt. My quick
assessment told me it could cost eight to ten thousand shillings, approximately
$5, if bought second-hand at a “bend down boutique” (BDB). BDBs are
road-side clothes markets where mostly second-hand wears, from stockings, underwear
to designer three piece suits are heaped on the ground and buyers have to bend
over the stack to select their choice.
now bowed, I noticed he was wearing a very neat designer T-shirt. My quick
assessment told me it could cost eight to ten thousand shillings, approximately
$5, if bought second-hand at a “bend down boutique” (BDB). BDBs are
road-side clothes markets where mostly second-hand wears, from stockings, underwear
to designer three piece suits are heaped on the ground and buyers have to bend
over the stack to select their choice.
“John, you know you can sell this T-shirt and use the
money to buy yourself a good Bible and even have some change.” I said, hoping
he’d like the idea. He gently lifted his head from the table, looked me right
in the eyes with a fiery piercing stare, picking at a corner of the shirt, he
said, “sell my shirt, sell my shirt?” His face was so contorted with the
question, it made me worried.
money to buy yourself a good Bible and even have some change.” I said, hoping
he’d like the idea. He gently lifted his head from the table, looked me right
in the eyes with a fiery piercing stare, picking at a corner of the shirt, he
said, “sell my shirt, sell my shirt?” His face was so contorted with the
question, it made me worried.
Till the class ended that evening, I didn’t hear
a word from him. He never answered my questions nor contributed to the
discussions. I called John aside after class and tried to explain why selling
his shirt for a Bible was not a bad thing to do.
a word from him. He never answered my questions nor contributed to the
discussions. I called John aside after class and tried to explain why selling
his shirt for a Bible was not a bad thing to do.
“Uche, you embarrassed me
today”, he said.
today”, he said.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… but I really think…”
He cut in;
“I wrote you a letter while the class was going on, but since you’ve
apologized, I won’t give it to you, I’d planned not to come here again. But it’s
ok now.” We parted peacefully.
“I wrote you a letter while the class was going on, but since you’ve
apologized, I won’t give it to you, I’d planned not to come here again. But it’s
ok now.” We parted peacefully.
Two weeks later, the class was discussing an interesting
topic on Creation and somehow contributions began to center around pain and
suffering in this beautiful world God made. One of the students fired at me,
“Uche, do you know that a few years ago and even months back, some of us here
were not wearing clothes?” “I didn’t have shoes, we stripped dead bodies of
their clothes, shoes… everything and we’d wear them until they fell off our
bodies like dead leaves. We don’t even think of washing it because it will
dissolve inside the water.”
topic on Creation and somehow contributions began to center around pain and
suffering in this beautiful world God made. One of the students fired at me,
“Uche, do you know that a few years ago and even months back, some of us here
were not wearing clothes?” “I didn’t have shoes, we stripped dead bodies of
their clothes, shoes… everything and we’d wear them until they fell off our
bodies like dead leaves. We don’t even think of washing it because it will
dissolve inside the water.”
The civil
war officially ended on the first day of that year 2005. It was like lightening
had just struck me. I then understood what went on in John’s mind when I asked him to trade his precious shirt for a Bible.
war officially ended on the first day of that year 2005. It was like lightening
had just struck me. I then understood what went on in John’s mind when I asked him to trade his precious shirt for a Bible.
This was John’s path to discipleship, rough and uncertain.
He left the school two weeks before graduation. But in June 2008, Anuar Kachu another
student, a native of the Nuba Mountains sold his pair of shoes on his first day at the Bible
class for $2.50 and immediately bought himself a
Bible in class and walked home bare-footed.
He left the school two weeks before graduation. But in June 2008, Anuar Kachu another
student, a native of the Nuba Mountains sold his pair of shoes on his first day at the Bible
class for $2.50 and immediately bought himself a
Bible in class and walked home bare-footed.
More in Part
2
2
Kingdom Exploits With Uche 