Dear Friends/Family,
We want to take a few minutes of your time to thank you for your financial gifts and prayers for our time in Tchad (aka Chad).
It is hard to believe that we have been back for almost 2 weeks already. Hard to believe, because we left a part of our hearts there and our minds are still trying to figure out how to go back. (More on that later in this post)
In bringing this update to you, it’s hard to know what to say. Many ask, “Did you have a good time in Tchad?” Well, the answer is not really yes. For, although we had some fun with our team and met some great new friends and enjoyed the chance to be there; Chad is not a fun country. It is a hard place. It is hot, it is dusty, and there are none of the conveniences of home. Not a Target, Wal-Mart or any other department store in the entire country. No fast food, no large grocery stores. No place to find ice cream, pizza or a candy bar. The internet is dial up and only in the two main cities. And it is down more than it is up. There are only about 300 miles of paved road in the whole country and the rest are of dirt, uneven and often near impassable with low limbs, brush and holes that will cause flats in a hurry. These roads are heavily trafficked with bicycles and small motorcycles that may have as many as 3-5 people as well as goats, chickens and anything else that needs to be moved on them. There are very few vehicles, so when you see one, usually a truck, it is loaded up to dangerous levels with several Chadians traveling on top of the load.
Most of the people are living in mud brick huts with either a straw or corrugated metal roof. These huts have dirt floors and may have a corrugated metal door. There are no lights, no TVs, no radios (except for in the main cities and then only a few scattered here and there). If you are in the city, you probably have a well which provides water that may be safe to drink (but we filtered it so as not to get any nasty parasites). Outside the city, if you do not have a well, the chances of having a clean water source are very improbable and illness is always present. Sleeping under mosquito nets is highly recommended as the threat of Malaria is high (especially during and just after the rainy season). And typhoid, and/or yellow fever are also possible.
When brushing your teeth, you want to us the filtered water. Do not eat fresh fruits or vegetables unless they are washed in a special treatment. Other foods must be made from scratch. No prepackaged, microwavable dinners.
And you must be careful to watch for snakes, spiders, bats, and other critters.
But, with all of this said, God is there. And He has started an amazing thing in Tchad called His church. We met many of the members of His body there; Pastors, evangelists, men and women, boys and girls who are eager to learn more of Him. Men with a passion for sharing the gospel, some who have gone many miles into remote villages to bring them the good news of Christ.
We visited many of these little village churches. We met the leaders of these small congregations as we sat together in their little buildings made of straw or mud sharing tea and discussing their history, how an evangelist came to their village and brought hope to them. They shared the needs that they have for clean water, or for a place to worship (many still meet in the shade of a tree). They thanked us for caring enough for them and their circumstances to come to visit them and ask what we can do in partnering with them, and for training the evangelists to come to their villages.
These people never asked for food, clothing, and better living situations. Only for water which is essential for life or for medical care. We were overwhelmed with their generosity despite their great poverty as they offered us tea, food, and gifts of chickens and goats as appreciation for our coming to them.
We met amazing people like Pastor Justin who wants to show his congregation how he loves his wife and children as scripture teaches which is against the cultural norm. We met evangelist, Pascal, who has walked along side of and was taught under Pastor Dadje Samuel, even up until his death from possible Malaria and dehydration as they tried to take the gospel into Libya. We visited Christine, Pastor Dadje’s widow who now teaches women about the God she serves as she struggles to take care of her family and her orchard after her husband’s death. We visited Rhode, a Chadian midwife, who also is a widow, after losing her husband, Noel to tuberculosis of the bone within the last 6 months. Noel was on staff at the mission as the office administrator.
I could go on for a very long time telling story after story of people who have gone through desperate times and situations but whose hope is not gone, whose faith stands firm as they trust in the Holy God of the Bible and His Son who brings salvation.
And so, this is why we are still looking at going back to Tchad; Because, God is there and He is doing some great work there. Yet, there is still much left to be done. There are still many, many people who have never heard the name Jesus, who have never had the chance to call out to Him in faith. As His word says, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few; Lord, send out workers to the harvest. God loves these people that He created and wants them to know and worship Him.
So, we now begin to ask Him for direction and His will. How do we go about leaving our lives here and go to this place that so few know of or have cared about? How do we go about selling a business, renting our home, leaving our families? These would be questions that we would ask you to pray for us about. We want to rely completely on Him for the answers. We will need Him to open the doors that should be opened and close the ones that should be closed. We want to be completely in His will.
So, as we thank you for your prayers and support for this trip, we continue to covet your prayers for the future. We ask that you would lift us up daily for wisdom and guidance and that He would provide all that we need to do His will.
Your friendships and love for us have meant so much. Your prayers and financial support of us in this has been such a blessing. We hope that you will continue to partner with us now in prayer as we seek Him further concerning His country, Tchad.
No comments:
Post a Comment