not the norm

I've made a comment to our last two teams that I wanted to share on this blog.  Our last two teams have both been a part of 1) new believers coming to life in Christ and 2) discipleship of believers who hunger for God's Word.  The comment I've made to both of these teams is: "There are missionaries who spend their entire career on the field and don't get to see what you just saw."

The point is that this is not the norm, especially in places like Niger.  Especially in places the Gospel has never been before.  Especially in places that are some of the darkest places on earth.  And yet, it's happening.

I wish I could point to a clever strategy or a personal holiness that is at the root but I cannot.  I can simply point to a gracious God who loves the Songhai and is calling many of them to faith and new life through His Son.

I remember being told (before we came to Niger) that we might spend 5, 10, or even 20 years here and never see fruit.  We accepted that and were willing to live that calling out should it be ours.  However, I think at least a part of us held onto the conviction that God's sheep hear His voice and that God has sheep in the Songhai villages of Niger.

So we, and scores of volunteers, have sowed the seed for the past 5 years and, just as Jesus told us, there have been varied results.  But, and we are so humbled by this, we have been able to see much seed land on that good soil.

I wanted to share this with our 2 volunteer teams but I wanted to share it with you, too.  You may have never stepped foot in Songhai land but you're a part of this.  You may have not been the one to share the Gospel for the first time in a village, or baptize a new brother in the Niger River, or disciple a new believer but that does not mean you're not a critical part of all those things.

If we had to try and explain what's happening here I think our best chance would be the army of people faithfully praying for the salvation of the Songhai and our merciful Father hearing their pleas.

We're so grateful to be on this not so normal journey with you.