Butterfly wings
The chain starts in remote Minnesota, during a cold winter’s night. Dave and Cheryl count their pennies and write out their sacrificial check. $30 to send Charles and Tahnya to Africa.
The link continues In the urban area as Steve and Paula and their 2 kids bowed their heads to pray. “Lord, be with Charles as he travels and tells people about you.”
The current moves transcontinental. A lonely pastor catches a scent in the air. Something he had been waiting for. Hungry for more. An invitation. a connection. An offer to pay a plane ticket. Another huge sacrifice.
My sails are hoisted by the winds. A 2 hour plane ride. 2 more nights of teaching. A challenge is issued. ACTS 17. Our place must be a friendly place, the marketplace must be an engaged place, their place takes credibility. Simple teaching.
Young people, dedicated, move their all night prayer meeting into the darkest marketplace, and pray, walking among prostitutes. Business people risk and invite their friends to a banquet. And they come. I speak about the economy, opportunities in uncertain times.
Sunday comes and the currents converge together. Wealthy business men and women come to visit our place for the first time. The 14 year old hopeless captive of her profession comes and finds love and deliverance in the arms of Jesus.
A family is the church fell into the current of God’s love and is following up.
Its been a good few days.
I’ve had a passion for a number of things over the last few years. Reaching the emerging African generation. Reaching into the business community. Challenging the church to move outside 4 walls and reengage the world. Teaching and equiping believers to use new technologies to further the purposes of Christ’s kingdom. Last week, in the space of 4 days, I got to see this all come together. Wed and thursday I did an outreach seminar for a church on the west side of Tanzania. The youth responded by taking their prayer meeting to the streets, half staying to pray totally, half taking the light into darkness. Friday, I preached to over 100 pastors at the bilble school in the morning, then taught leadership to all the elders, deacons, pastors, zonal leaders at my host church. Saturday I did a 5 hour sound training event with the music team, followed by a businessmen’s banquet. Sunday morning, several business people came to church, and one prostitute that we know of, a 14 year old girl. Much of my free time was taken doing media training. I’m pretty spent, but oh what a wonderful time of seeing how valuable your investment is, and getting to see a few of the dividends.