Botswanan University Student Invasion

We are so privileged to have a great team to work with (Melvins, Floras, Justin & Korby). This week Sally and I have the honor to work along with the Flora family and their Botswanan University student team. The Floras invited us to serve alongside them this week. The team that has come are actually Americans, Botswanans and two from Zimbabwe. They came to the mountain village of Katse to spend a week working with the Floras as they share the good news. The reason Sally and I are with them is that the timing was just right as I don't have any flights scheduled at this time (due to budget cuts in the gov't). And it was God's timing as Teresa Flora's shoulder is giving her fits and Sally can be her "right hand."

So we headed up the mountains to Katse to arrive the same day as the Botswana team. They

began preparing for this ministry in January, meeting once a week to learn about missions, Basotho culture, and Lesotho. Our mission has a family and a single lady doing university student ministry at Univ of Botswana. So we all met at the Flora family house in Katse Village high in the Maluti Mountains.

The strategy plan that Jim and Teresa had developed

with the team was to go to some villages to encourage the few believers and share the gospel with more, and to go to villages that the gospel of Jesus Christ had never been to! The mode of transport is 4WD plus Lesotho Mountain Pony trekking plus feet. The plan was/is simple. Work with a local Baptist pastor to identify the villages, pray, pray, pray, and then pray some more. Then go with the student team to the village, get permission to share, sing songs in Sesotho and Setswana language, share testimonies of how trusting Jesus and following him works, preach, and then do Q&A. Then pray, pray, pray.

So that's what Sally and have gotten to do along with the Floras and their team. Sunday we drove about 1.5 hours (the last 30 min. of that in 4WD) to the village of Lilomong ('dee-low-mong'). Now why there? Bear with me as I share a pretty amazing story about a young pastor and friend by the name of Sefiri. One day, following God's command to go out and share the good news, Sefiri set out on foot to hike back up into the mountains to share the gospel. When he reached a village he would get with the chief and the people and ask if they wanted to hear the good news. Village after village rejected him but he kept on going. Finally he reached Lilomong and they agreed to hear him and this message from God. Some responded by repenting and turning to Christ. He decided to go further up the mountain but was met at the next village by the priest who informed him if he came there again, he would kill him by stoning him! He decided to continue to go to Lilomong whenever possible and that his pastor would also go there.

Pastor Sefiri and Pastor Molapo have been trying to return to Lilomong village at least once a month. So that is where we ended up on Sunday. Our plan was what I outlined above. And God blessed it. The students were amazing. Great singers, leaders, great testimony. I had the privilege of preaching after Andrew shared his testimony.They just loved sharing what God has been doing in their lives and answering questions. After a full day we headed back to Katse village.

Monday we again traveled by 4WD back to Lilomong to hold a free medical clinic (thanks to generous donations to our mission) and to again do Q&A as well as HIV/AIDS prevention teaching.

We began as before - prayer, prayer, and more prayer. Then singing and a testimony by Michael how God radically changed his life when he placed his faith in Jesus Christ. Then it was time to

do the clinic. Andrew and I saw the patients, Sally dispensed the

medicines, Jim and the rest of the team did Q&A and HIV/AIDS teaching. Some was done one-on-one, and some was done in

groups (like the teenage girls). This university student team was amazing. They stayed engaged with the people all the time,sharing, listening, teaching, laughing, and praying.

Again a long day, but praise God for strength to do the ministry - "I have food that you know not of. My food is to do the will of the Father..."

Tuesday we drove about 45 minutes to a place to get some Mountain Ponies. The villagers rent them on occasion. We went with Pastor Sefiri, Pastor Molapo, Ntate Tsepo, and the team. Jim Flora (being a former cowboy) made sure that all the students had some instruction on how to ride as none of them had ever ridden. I think the thing that I remember the best was 'keep your legs on each side of the horse...' So the 12 of us (11 of

us and a guide) headed up the mountain to find the village of Ha Macona. We trekked up the mountain past freshly planted fields, mountain streams, and rock upon rock until about 1.5 hours later we were there. 7,700 ft elevation, a village of about 75 people. Some were not there as it is the season for cultivating the fields. But as they gathered we had about 40 adult men, women and teenagers plus 15-20 kids. We did the same routine - prayed, sang, shared a testimony and preached (this time it was university student Wasa) and then did Q&A.

What was shocking to me was just how deeply engrained was the belief that everything in their life centers around appeasement of the ancestor spirits. The people were very eager to hear about 'what does your church say about...' We answered many many questions in the group and in smaller groups by showing them in the Bible what the answer to their questions were. Many were in disbelief and argumentative at times. Those that attended a Catholic church about 5 miles away told us that the priest told them 'if you have questions about God don't read the Bible, just ask me.' They were so eager to

at least hear what the Bible said. It was awesome to hear the Botswana University students answering the people with 'God says in the Bible...' As we neared the time to go, several of the older women practically begged Pastor Molapo to come back every week to teach them as they wanted to really know what more of what the Bible says. Others were not so interested but as

Basotho culture dictates, were very polite and kind to us.

As we prepared to leave, Jim Flora gave a PROCLAIMER MP3 player to one of the ladies. It has the New Testament in Sesotho on it and it is rechargeable by either solar or hand crank.(check out www.faithcomesbyhearing.org) She and others were elated to receive it. Our prayer as we headed back on the horses was that God's word would be listened to that evening and that through it, their eyes would be opened to the beauty of gospel of Jesus Christ.

After the horse ride back and the truck drive to the Flora's house we were all tired, but excited about what God is doing through simple obedience to his command to go and share. I voiced a brief prayer of thanks for the strength and grace to do what our region's theme is - to "Shatter the Silence" and share the good news.

I'll share more later next week. As I write this I am at home in Maseru preparing to fly to Matsaile tomorrow for medical clinic there, then will head back up to Katse early Friday morning to join the team for another trek deeper in the mountains to another village that has yet to hear the good news. Thank you Jim and Teresa, Gracie, Anna, and Becka and the Botswana University Student team for allowing us to be part of your ministry team. Thank you Southern Baptists and other supporters for making it possible for Sally and I to serve the Lord here.

Hey, thanks for reading and please pray that in all of this, Jesus Christ will be praised and the good news will be heard. Pressing on daily by His grace...