Every night my hosts organized some kind of activity that involved preaching and teaching. Truly humbling experience, to have hundreds of people in total silence listen to me, they called me “The Voice of God”. They truly believe that when the Pastor speaks from the Bible that is the voice of God personally to them for that day. God really anointed all the messages I prepared, and several nights I had to battle my tears while ministering. 70-90% of Christians in the areas I visited do not know how to read or write! 80% of these families live in rented rooms, sometimes up to 12 persons in that room, it depends on how many children they have.
I had 3 afternoons with the local pastors from the surrounding villages, and I told them that I came to listen to them. I was amazed by their depth in the Word and their clear understanding of Love, Grace, Mercy and their practical Christian lives. These Pators live on the love offerings of their churches, which as you can understand by now is not enough to keep up the family, so the pastors work part time as teachers, or other jobs they can get for the day. This is what I learned from them: they do not believe in accumulating goods for themselves therefore if there is a great love offering or someone in the community finds money that is considered extra they come and give what is God’s to the Pastor who immediately turns it back on to their most needy in the church. It sounds too good to be true, but after visiting their households I can testify that they put their money where their heart is! They give it all, the Acts way.
These pastors want Bible Schools! They want to educate themselves and their people. I had the privilege of showing them classes from Maryland Bible College and Seminary that was on my laptop, and they eagerly listened to Pastor Stevens delivering a message on Preaching, Pastor Schaller on Discipelship, Pastor Schibelli on Church Planting, and Pastor Love on First John. They fell in love with Bible School !!! So I left my laptop with about 100 classes and messages to Pastor Samuel (the only pastor to speak good English amongst them) to translate them one by one to URDU and re-teach them to their congregations. They promised to start Bible School first week of December. PRAY for this please and GIVE so we can help them with necessary things for the church room so it could be made more comfortable to the students to sit through Bible School classes.
There is so much to share!
Visited many church buildings that are functioning churches, but so poor that there is nothing inside except the rough carpets. They do build churches, the most impressive one has been started 8 years ago and according to the local believers they took joy from their children with giving all their money to have this worship place, giving glory only to God. They are quiet serious when it comes to the worship place, but most of the churches have major structural problems or need major renovation. Many believers come to a new church when the new renovation or construction is completed. Let us provide them with some things from their churches. If you are interested I can show you pictures with structures, and share specific needs.
There is much more to share and this letter will continue shortly.
Please pray for us, I will be taking our daughter Rebecca to Baltimore Wednesday Nov 28th. We will be seeing doctors and have the necessary tests done. Also, I am available from Wednesday night on my US phone number 443 939 0237.
In Christ,
Joseph
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