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ADVENTURES in AFRICA - Andrew Strom
#1 · October 23, 2008, 11:34 pm
Posted by: jakamum <jakamum@...>
ADVENTURES in AFRICA
-by Andrew Strom.
How can I give you insight into what it is like here? I guess in some ways it
is a bit like "camping" - wonderful company, but strange food and the toilet
facilities don't bear mentioning! Today a goat wandered into the leaders'
conference as I was preaching - but it quickly saw that the gathering was
aimed at "sheep only" - and so exited rapidly via the side door. But at that
same meeting the pastors and leaders all got down on their knees and repented
before God of preaching a "Mammon" gospel. Seems a small price to pay to see
something like that, don't you think? God is truly on the move here, despite
the heat and the dust.
I got to meet the "king" of the town. (Every town seems to have one). He was
a friendly God-fearing man - who gladly knelt down with us in his own throne-
room to pray to the "King of all kings" in Heavenly courts. Many Government
officials are welcoming of the gospel here.
Judging by the stares I get, you might think I was the first white man in this
part of Africa since the time of Stanley and Livingstone! It is a town of some
thousands, mostly living under rusty tin roofs that stretch into the distance.
Every night the crowds troop in their hundreds up the hill for the Outreach.
Speakers blare incomprehensible words and music - plus a jungle of rythms that
might make even Elvis Presley trip over his feet. The usual volume is what I
call "constant distortion", but I seem to be the only one that notices. The
unashamedly joyful dancing and singing quite simply puts us staid Westerners
to shame.
There is a man up the power pole, seemingly patching our sparse lighting into
the "main grid" with his bare fingers. Why he has not electrocuted himself and
half the town I do not know - but I seem to be the only one showing the least
bit of concern - so I get back to praying over what my message will be tonight.
The lights flicker on - then off - then on. Our electrician friend reappears,
looking (I must say) surprisingly well. Sometimes the lights go out for minutes
at a time, and we end up preaching in the darkness by torchlight under the
stunning African stars. -Magic moments that are hard to describe. By the close
of the evening, hundreds of these beautiful simple people will have repented
deeply of their sins - all honor and praise to our glorious "Father of Lights".
I don't know if you can tell, but I love this place. I love this continent. I
love these people. They have a simple trust and humility that the West has long
ago forgotten. They have a genuine hunger for God and for His truth - and they
will often walk miles in the heat to show it.
So here I am in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Lightyears from the meltdowns of Wall
Street, far from the Madding crowd, simply bringing truth to these wonderful
hungry people. Where else would I rather be?
Perhaps as the West sinks slowly into her long slough of despond, it will be
God-hungry places like Africa that will rise and shine. I can certainly see it.
She has been in the dungeon for so long. But we have reached the hour when "many
that are first shall be last, and many that are last shall be first." A radical
shift is underway.
I hope this paints a bit of a picture of the amazing setting I find myself in,
my friends. Challenging but amazing. Thankyou so much for your prayers. -Hugely
appreciated and needed.
All my love and blessings from Africa,
Andrew Strom.
-by Andrew Strom.
How can I give you insight into what it is like here? I guess in some ways it
is a bit like "camping" - wonderful company, but strange food and the toilet
facilities don't bear mentioning! Today a goat wandered into the leaders'
conference as I was preaching - but it quickly saw that the gathering was
aimed at "sheep only" - and so exited rapidly via the side door. But at that
same meeting the pastors and leaders all got down on their knees and repented
before God of preaching a "Mammon" gospel. Seems a small price to pay to see
something like that, don't you think? God is truly on the move here, despite
the heat and the dust.
I got to meet the "king" of the town. (Every town seems to have one). He was
a friendly God-fearing man - who gladly knelt down with us in his own throne-
room to pray to the "King of all kings" in Heavenly courts. Many Government
officials are welcoming of the gospel here.
Judging by the stares I get, you might think I was the first white man in this
part of Africa since the time of Stanley and Livingstone! It is a town of some
thousands, mostly living under rusty tin roofs that stretch into the distance.
Every night the crowds troop in their hundreds up the hill for the Outreach.
Speakers blare incomprehensible words and music - plus a jungle of rythms that
might make even Elvis Presley trip over his feet. The usual volume is what I
call "constant distortion", but I seem to be the only one that notices. The
unashamedly joyful dancing and singing quite simply puts us staid Westerners
to shame.
There is a man up the power pole, seemingly patching our sparse lighting into
the "main grid" with his bare fingers. Why he has not electrocuted himself and
half the town I do not know - but I seem to be the only one showing the least
bit of concern - so I get back to praying over what my message will be tonight.
The lights flicker on - then off - then on. Our electrician friend reappears,
looking (I must say) surprisingly well. Sometimes the lights go out for minutes
at a time, and we end up preaching in the darkness by torchlight under the
stunning African stars. -Magic moments that are hard to describe. By the close
of the evening, hundreds of these beautiful simple people will have repented
deeply of their sins - all honor and praise to our glorious "Father of Lights".
I don't know if you can tell, but I love this place. I love this continent. I
love these people. They have a simple trust and humility that the West has long
ago forgotten. They have a genuine hunger for God and for His truth - and they
will often walk miles in the heat to show it.
So here I am in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Lightyears from the meltdowns of Wall
Street, far from the Madding crowd, simply bringing truth to these wonderful
hungry people. Where else would I rather be?
Perhaps as the West sinks slowly into her long slough of despond, it will be
God-hungry places like Africa that will rise and shine. I can certainly see it.
She has been in the dungeon for so long. But we have reached the hour when "many
that are first shall be last, and many that are last shall be first." A radical
shift is underway.
I hope this paints a bit of a picture of the amazing setting I find myself in,
my friends. Challenging but amazing. Thankyou so much for your prayers. -Hugely
appreciated and needed.
All my love and blessings from Africa,
Andrew Strom.
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