I have been in Tumu over four months now and I had a reality check this past Wednesday in our 5am prayer meeting. Pastor Edward read from Eziekel 22:27-31. He asked us stand for the Sisaala people and to pray that God would have mercy on them. During my time of prayer, the Lord opened my eyes the reality of my life here in Tumu. For me, this has been quite the adventure---going to Africa and literally living out my dream; working with kids and teenagers making relationships the primary focus of my ministry…but it’s so much more than that. My time here is short, and therefore I will be able to have a limited effect on these people. But even after I’m gone, the work will still continue.
Even though I sometimes romanticize my experience here, the truth is that the work of the church is VERY slow moving. This land is held captive by the Deceiver, who uses different religions and traditions to keep them blinded from the Truth.
This is a battleground and I am a solider on a short mission. I cannot stay to fight entire war but must accomplish the mission set before me and do it with all my might. Ultimately however, “the battle belongs to the Lord.” I know that although my time here is limited, God will not soon (or ever) leave this land.
The enemy has had a stronghold in this place for generations upon generations. The church (as in the body of Christ rather than the actual building) here is not much older than me and the commitment and diligence of the Christians here are very weak. There are times when this fact discourages those of us who have given our time (and for some, entire lives) to see the gospel spread. These faithful warriors have been praying for this land for many years but have seen little fruit from their labor. To some it may seem like God has taken his hand away from His people here. But I know better than that! God’s time is not the same as our time (because we actually see the world in the view of a timeline) but His time is always the right time. Perhaps those of us who have made our entire life goal to reach a community for the Lord will never see the results. But we do know, and are confident that God is in control. He is working in this place and he will claim this land back for himself in his time.
I realize now that my part is to continue to do what I am already doing here, but to be more faithful in prayer. Not only for those I work with, but for the Sisaala land as a whole. I will join those faithful prayer warriors here in crying out to the Lord on the behalf of these people, begging that he will here are prayers and have mercy on these people.
