Gospel For Africa

Heb 13:1-6
13 Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Traveling from Africa to the USA can be a trial for the strongest individual. The trip started a 2AM GMT from Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire. My first stop was Casablanca at 7am GMT. After a 4 hour layover, 11:30 AM GMT, we departed for New York’s JFK Airport. A 9 hour flight arriving in New York at 2:45 PM EST. There is a 5 hour difference so it would have been 7:45 PM GMT. Unfortunately my connecting flight to Salt Lake City was changed and I had to wait until 6:45 AM which was a 14 hour layover.

It was December 30 and all the local hotels were completely booked for the New Years Eve celebration. I had to spend the next 14 hours in the airport trying to sleep on a bench. The temperature outside was below freezing and it felt like it was just as cold inside the airport. I was used to a daily temperature of 85 degrees and 100% humidity so this was hard. I put on everything I had and laid down on a bench with all my baggage under my feet.

Just as I was dozing off someone said, “hey mister can I give you a blanket?” I looked up and there was a man about 30 years old standing over me smiling. I looked around and there was no other person within distance to see us. I was a bit startled and didn’t know what to say. He was all bundled up in a jacket and had a blanket wrapped around him. I said, “excuse me, what did you say?” He smiled and replied, “Do you want a blanket? It’s really cold in here and I had some extra blankets in my storage area and decided to give them away.” He had some kind of cart with boxes and blankets on it. I took the blanket and said thanks. I put the blanket around me and turned to the man to thank him again and he was gone. I looked for him and could not find him.

God has helped me in many ways, but this was the first time he ever sent a messenger to give me a blanket because I was cold and tired. He cares for our every need. Jesus said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. - Lk 12:6-7

Sleeping was almost impossible. Maybe, I got 2 or 3 hours in. Finally it was time to check my baggage and board the plane for Salt Lake City. A 4 hour flight with a 2 hour layover. The plane was completely packed with tired travelers. The last leg of the flight I started having some trouble with my left knee. It began to swell up and really hurt. When I boarded the plane I asked the man in the seat next to me if I could switch seats with him so I could have the isle to give me room to stretch out my leg a bit. He agreed and had his three kids all move and I ended up sitting with him. I later found out he was a Christian and a medical Doctor. He told me what medication to take for it and then prayed for me. When I left the plane I thought I knew exactly what to do for the knee problem.

Again, God knew I would need this man to help me on the last leg of the flight. He sat me right next to a Doctor who could help me. Who could ever say that God is not real and does not intervene in the lives of His people? I am so in love with God, the Father of My Lord Jesus Christ who works all things together for the good of little old me…and you if you are His.

I arrived at the 2010 Calvary Chapel Missions Conference Center on the 31st of December at 7:30 PM. The conference would begin on January 4th. I spent the next 3 days resting and finding the medication and a pair of crutches I needed for my knee injury. As it turned out, I had a stretched or torn a tendon on the inside of my left knee. You might say, “How do you know that?” I met some wonderful people at the conference who set up an appointment for me with their brother who is a practising Othopedic Surgeon here in the Southern California area. He saw me for free and diagnosed the problem. I was now on crutches and the pain was under control.

God is so awesome. It’s like He runs out ahead of you and moves people around like chess pieces so you have to run right into them. Then He moves their heart to offer help to you. He’s incredible…after all…He is the only true and living God.

The confernece was great. There were missionaries and Pastors from all over the world. The teachcing was awesome and the fellowship was even better. I had a small display set up with information about our mission in Africa (Gospel For Africa). Many people were suprised to see that we were ministering to French-speaking Africans. Some did not even know that Africans spoke French.

Many contacts were made and relationships formed. I roomed with a brother who runs a school and orphanage in Uganda and met other missionaries from many countries in Africa. After the conference I visited with some local churches here in Southern California. The Pastors and staff of those churches were very happy to receive me. They were excited about what the Lord was doing in West Africa.

I’m looking forward in faith to see what God will do with all these new relationships and contacts. God wastes nothing, least of all time. He knows exactly what He is doing and in time we will see how all this brings fantastic fruit for the Kingdom of our God.

Pastor Chris

Filed under: Notes to myself