Ups and Downs

THIS WEEK IN SEMINARS:

This week has been characterized by some ups and downs. This week we had two seminars so we split our team up so that two went and taught bible overview in the evening at one church, and another team member and I went to another church in the morning. We taught at the same church that we had ministered at the previous Sunday. (This church is partnered with the ministry that has the women’s vocational school.) We prayed and decided to teach them 4 steps in how to study the bible. We did this by teaching through the book of 2 Timothy.

The first day was jumbled because of miscommunication and at the last minute, the teaching had to be condensed from three hours to one hour. By the end of the teaching, it was clear the people did not seem to hear or understand a word of it (which many factors played into that that were out of our control). It was initially discouraging but we kept hope. The second day, I taught the first two steps. It was the toughest class I ever had. They didn’t seem to grasp any concept no matter how simple I made it or how many ways I attempted to explain or teach it. By the end of the teaching, I was so discouraged that these ladies couldn’t learn (which I knew was a lie). I had begun to lose hope that they would understand anything. The whole experience was frustrating and discouraging but we continued to pray that God would be their teacher and give us the grace and and patience to teach. The next day, they really began to think for themselves and grasp the steps and understand the book more. The fourth day, I taught again. I was still so scared and tired. By this point, we had been ministering for two weeks straight without a day off, waking up at 6:30 and ministering, teaching, or preparing until about 10 pm (not good for an introvert). I was tired, weary, did not have much hope, and I didn’t feel prepared for the teaching. I felt attacked by the enemy who was wearing down my confidence. I prayed knowing that God would give me grace and strength to give the teaching and speak through me if I stepped out in obedience to him. I was actually crying just before I gave my teaching and was even trying to push back my tears as I began; but as I began to teach, God gave me strength. My spirits lifted and I felt God teaching through me and helping me. I began to teach very lively and even have good humor and peace as I taught. God was faithful to me as I was faithful and obedient to him. By the end of the teaching, I really began to see that the ladies really grasped the concepts as well as the teaching that we brought to them through the book.

By the end, they said these things to me in class:

“Before, I didn’t know how to study the bible. I didn’t understand the bible. I just waited for the pastor to tell me what it says. But now, I have the knowledge to study it for myself. Now I can go and teach others what I know. I am going to start with my family. I am going to begin having bible study with my family and teach them these steps as well as study the books in the bible.”

Another woman said:

“For me, I have not learned how to read. But I have crammed all this knowledge in my head so I am going to teach my children these steps so they can study with me. They can read and together we can study the bible for ourselves now there is nothing stopping me from understanding what the bible says.”

It was so rewarding to see that they understood how to study the bible for themselves and realize that it is not such a mystery or locked to them. They now have a weapon in their hands that they know how to use.

PREACHING

I also preached on Sunday. This was a huge step for me because that was what I feared greatest. Preaching here is much different from teaching. Preaching here (in presentation) looks like those faith healers or prosperity gospel people. They get so excited they sweat and spit a lot. They shout “Amen! Hallelujah! Praise God! God is Good, Oh, King of glory!” That kind of thing. I didn’t want to preach because I am so timid and shy, not loud, or expressive like that. But I knew that God was calling me to it this week so I was obedient to it and did my best to get really really excited (minus the spitting).

THIS NEXT WEEK WE HAVE 3 SEMINARS:

• Two people will go to a village Wed-Fri and teach church leaders
• We will continue our teachings with the boys here and teach them inductive bible study method through a book of the bible.
• We will continue to teach in the women’s vocational school Wed-Fri. We have taught them how to study the bible and use the weapon that they have but God has put it on our hearts to teach them the value and treasure of the bible. With this, we are going to teach them church history/canonicity of the bible or how they got the bible, what it went through to get into their hands, and it’s power today to transform.

ANSWERED PRAYERS:

The power is back on!!! We are so excited about this. It is still Africa, so it seems to be turned off city wide more than it is turned on, but it is actually working at our house when the government chooses to give it to us.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Pray against weariness/apathy:

To be honest, this last week was really hard for me spiritually. I know that it was tiring because we hadn’t had a day off to rest, but I think I am being attacked spiritually as well. The enemy has been attacking my confidence in God and myself. Teaching is a very vulnerable place to be because it is so far out of my comfort zone that I have to force myself to go. When I am attacked there in that place, any insult, or lie can go very deep. I keep standing up to fight against these attacks but when I do, and seem to overcome, another one seems to come in from another angle. I am finding myself growing apathetic and weary. It has been a very long year and coming here, I didn’t feel I had the strength to teach at all. God has carried me a long way, but I need prayer to have the strength to continue to overcome. I know that God will not leave me hanging but will continue to carry me the rest of the way (4 more weeks). But I would really appreciate your prayers in this.

• Pray for health: Everybody on the team is feeling sick. One with a relapse of malaria, one has lost their voice completely, one with dizziness and fatigue, and then the other two are sick as well.
• Pray for our team, there has been a lot of spiritual attacks as well. Pray that we will have the strength to finish and continue to fight against these attacks.
• Pray for these next seminars that God would continue to stir in the hearts of the people and continue to build on this foundation we have been laying