This final ministry day saw the teams once again in the two villages of Kololo and Chisindo. The VBS work went very well. In Chisindo in the afternoon some 33 women showed up to view the puppet show. VBS finished as a women’s ministry! The teaching sessions also went well. In Kololo Stephen asked if there were any who had not accepted Jesus; four women raised theirs hands. Stephen and his interpreter presented the Gospel, and all four prayed to receive Christ.
At the end of the afternoon, each small team presented their financial gifts to the churches. The pastor in Kololo was speechless, and the congregation was overcome with thanks. It was the same in Chisindo. There is no assigned pastor in that church, but the village chief is a Christian who attended all the teaching sessions, and he accepted the gift on behalf of the church. Once again they were overcome with joy. All of us were so delighted to be able to minister to the churches in this tangible way.
After sharing our experiences of the day and hearing a devotional from Jessica, we broke up for the evening. We will be heading for the Lake to do some shopping at the woodcarvers’ and exploring the beach. Perhaps the monkeys will entertain us in the trees near the beach.
I asked the team tonight how the trip had been for them. All agreed that this trip is truly something special among the mission trips at First Baptist. The connection with the people, the coworkers, the openness to the Gospel… But I had warned them already: Africa gets inside you. My prayer is that a taste for ministry will get inside them, and that all of us will return home with boldness to share our faith, especially as we share our experiences.
Ray Smith
