NOTE: (This post is somewhat scrambled due to a formating problem during posting. I figured the best we can do is better than nothing. Thanks, John)
"Go and show the things you hear and see" "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art thou he that should come or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them!" Matthew 11:2-5
For more than a month now I have been working out in the villages of the Northwest Province of South Africa with Bishop Mphahlele and leaders of the local congregations. Every day I am more deeply impressed by the way God creates light and life in the spirit of man through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. One of the most important things we have done is to go into the shacks and simple homes and pray for people with a host of different dire needs.
We prayed for the blind Ezekiel and watched the light shine in his un-seeing eyes.
We prayed for the lame Sitha who has now been able to even walk a bit since we prayed for him last year.
We prayed for Rebecca, a 42 year-old woman with advanced
TB, her face contorted and aged by the disease. We prayed for the modern-day lepers - terminally ill HIV/Aids patients in an end-of-the-road hospice.
We prayed for the deaf who could only cling to our hands and press them close to their chests. We sorrowed with the young mother whose little boy had just died. And most of all we prayed for the poor and brought the blessed gospel of hope and salvation to them.
No words can describe such an experience - finding and speaking to the incredible needs that we faced every day in each of these villages. Of course we make no pretence of doing the dramatic and blessed miracles that Jesus did but somehow I experienced a miracle each time a grateful heart confesses the name of Jesus and whispers "riyalibouka" (thank you!) with tear-filled eyes after we have prayed for them. How blessed to know that God remembers them!
Besides our prayer walks through the villages - often in the hot spring sunshine - we held many special services including Sunday services with Holy Communion in each village. We were also were invited to hold morning devotional services in several schools, both primary and high schools. We praised the name of God that He is still welcome in most South African schools - especially those in the villages. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" (Note albino child in the first row of above picture).
Besides our prayer walks through the villages - often in the hot spring sunshine - we held many special services including Sunday services with Holy Communion in each village. We were also were invited to hold morning devotional services in several schools, both primary and high schools. We praised the name of God that He is still welcome in most South African schools - especially those in the villages. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" (Note albino child in the first row of above picture).
The students all sang for us before and after the services and knew their gospel songs well. One of the most popular stories I shared with them was of Balaam and the donkey that spoke. The donkey is of course one of the most common animals in these villages and did the students ever get involved when I gave them an animated version of Balaam beating the donkey instead of seeing the angel that the Lord had sent.
Health clinics were a real experience. Every morning about 7:40 it is possible to hold a short service in the local clinics for all the patients in the waiting room ready to see a doctor or a nurse.(Yes I was even coherent at that time in the morning!) In the bigger villages up to 100 patients could be gathered. Many of them also sang a nice gospel song before the sermon. I was wondering who was inspiring whom, until after I had spoken on the Beatitudes at a couple clinics and especially at the second one a kind of singing/rejoicing broke out. And it didn't stop! Still when we were going out to the car you could hear them singing and praising at full volume. It really penetrated my soul to see what the Lord could do through His Word! ( I simply could not capture this experience in a photo.)
But then came the prison in Mogwase.
This visit was arranged by Pastor Neels. I have visited prisons around the world for almost 40 years now but this experience was in a class of its own. Between 100-200 inmates were gathered in the main hall. Uniforms clean and pressed (they are orange ones with the emblem of the SA prison system printed all over them) and shoes spit polished. But just wait until a hundred or more male voices join in African gospel songs and WOW! I get shivers up my spine as I write this!! The power was almost unbelievable - it came in waves over you and almost swept you off your feet. Again I was wondering just who was there to inspire whom! But the story of the thieves on the cross and how they represent all of mankind - with unbelief and faith - went home with them and as I encouraged all of them that forgiveness is full and free for everyone - be he the greatest of sinners - in the powerful name and blood of Jesus almost every one put up their hand and testified that at that moment they believed that assurance for their own heart and soul. Then heaven came down once more as they all burst into song and I went around and shook hands with as many as possible. Several had a personal testimony of the power of the Word in their hearts that day. I will never forget Mogwase Prison!!! (And I almost got to stay there because I took the no-no picture of the prison above.)
But then came the prison in Mogwase.
This visit was arranged by Pastor Neels. I have visited prisons around the world for almost 40 years now but this experience was in a class of its own. Between 100-200 inmates were gathered in the main hall. Uniforms clean and pressed (they are orange ones with the emblem of the SA prison system printed all over them) and shoes spit polished. But just wait until a hundred or more male voices join in African gospel songs and WOW! I get shivers up my spine as I write this!! The power was almost unbelievable - it came in waves over you and almost swept you off your feet. Again I was wondering just who was there to inspire whom! But the story of the thieves on the cross and how they represent all of mankind - with unbelief and faith - went home with them and as I encouraged all of them that forgiveness is full and free for everyone - be he the greatest of sinners - in the powerful name and blood of Jesus almost every one put up their hand and testified that at that moment they believed that assurance for their own heart and soul. Then heaven came down once more as they all burst into song and I went around and shook hands with as many as possible. Several had a personal testimony of the power of the Word in their hearts that day. I will never forget Mogwase Prison!!! (And I almost got to stay there because I took the no-no picture of the prison above.) This has truly been an exciting month here in South Africa. Now less than two months remain for me. This time closer to home in the townships nearer Randfontein where I live (so I will get a shower more often :-) But the schedule of prayer for suffering individuals in their homes, visits to clinics, schools, and hopefully prisons, will continue. We have also prayed for another suffering group, that is alcoholics - a real village plague - and this week we will take one young man who has been active in one of our village churches for a 28 day rehabilitation program. This is a real answer to prayer and is at his request!! The work goes on, but only by the power of God. We feel your prayers every day!!
May God truly bless and keep you in His love and peace!
Dennis
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