June 2008
I have recently returned from another trip into Central Africa. Over all I have to say that it was amazing. I finally reconnected with our original call to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Pygmies.
For a little over a week Edouard and I lived in the villages of North Congo, preaching the gospel and seeing incredible miracles. We flew into Ouesso and then walked to a nearby village of the Mikya, a tribe of Pygmies living in the area. In a just a few days we saw an entire small village of Pygmies give their lives to Jesus. Not only were they all born again but they were all healed as well. One of the leaders in the village was especially amazed at what was happening and took it upon himself to help us. He (Deni), would bring the people up to us and was astounded when they were healed. One young girl had been deaf since birth in one ear and the Lord restored it completely. Others were suffering from various pains and diseases, from malaria to extreme pains in their stomachs and backs. Jesus was so real.
After Deni was born again I began to immediately teach him how to pray for the sick. He was helping me and before too long Deni, Edouard and I were all healing the sick. Instant disciple! He had only been born again for a few minutes but many people were getting healed under is hands. People were saying to each other "could they build a church here?" "When will they be back?" Before long we had a group that was asking for a church and a person (Deni) we could leave in charge until we came back.
The next day we were escorted by Deni to a neighboring pygmy village and Deni was excited to help again. Again we preached the Gospel and many were healed. The entire village didn't turn out this time but out of those that did, many were healed and all bowed the knee to Jesus. It was amazing to see the deaf hear and many chronic pains disappear. One man in particular had a sickness I had never seen with my own eyes. He literally looked as if he had a coral reef growing out of his feet. It was completely demonic and debilitating. We prayed but we did not see any instant results. Hopefully I will be able to bring back a good testimony on our next trip.
After leaving the Mikya village we headed further south and deeper into the jungle to a village called Attention. In French the name means "be careful, pay attention!" We should have done just that. We were told by a pastor in Ouesso that there was a church in Attention that ministered to pygmies. He told us he had planted it years before. Our reason for going was to meet the people there and then go even deeper in to the jungle to a tribe who had never heard the Gospel.
On our way to Attention we passed another pygmy village on the road where there was supposedly a church. I say supposedly because when we got there we found a building obviously built by missionaries but it was not used as a church. It was used to shelter animals. The people there were still following their old ways. Unfortunately some people have the idea that building a structure is planting a church and the two are not the same. No one had been here in years and there was no sign of a Gospel witness. Only an empty shell of a building. My heart sunk for this people that are not only neglected by their neighbors but also neglected by the church. My desire to come back soon only intensified.
We were not able to stay for an extended time in this particular village so we kept going towards Attention. When we arrived in Attention we soon realized that the situation there was no different. The pastor (who was a Bantu and not a Pygmy) that was left in charge of the church planted by the pastor from Ouesso, was ALONE. His church had died and no one had been there to help in over 12 years. Unfortunately the person that had planted the church abandoned it soon after starting it nearly 13 years prior. We decided to stay in Attention and minister. They graciously opened up a mud hut for us to stay in. We had brought a tent but turning down this home would have been an insult.
Because we were deep in the Jungle and most people were in the forest hunting or working their secluded and small crops, we began the services late at night and preached by candle light. There had not been a service there in years. But it was awesome. Many people gave their lives to Jesus and many were healed including the deaf. The only man we found in the village that was a christian was the pastor and his family. After ministering for a few days the pastor's hope returned. He told us later "We can start having church again. The people are coming alive." They were sorry to see us go. There was no promise that we could return soon, but we told him he had to be strong and continue to seek God. I hope one day soon to return but I could not make him promises that i wasn't sure I could keep. He had been promised help in the past and it never came.
Edouard and the local Pastor in Attention
We headed back towards Ouesso. It was the rainy season and the roads were flooded. As we came within an hour of Ouesso we stopped to see the Mikya. We had to rush through to make our flight out of the jungle so we did not have time to really chat. If you miss a flight in Congo you are stuck for days until the next plane comes through.
I was sorry to be leaving this area but God had done so much in such a short time. As our plane was taking off, all I could think about was coming back. This was where the ministry truly is, among the poor, the outcast, the neglected. These people are small in size but their hunger for the Gospel is huge. Many of the websites you look at will tell you that many of the pygmy people have been reached by the Gospel. Unfortunately this is not true. Catholics have built school buildings in a some villages that are rarely used but the Gospel is still not preached. I continue to be amazed at the lack of Gospel preached in this area of the world. These people are ready and waiting for someone to come and tell them the truth. To introduce them to the King and His Kingdom.
Our flight back into Brazzaville was good and only lasted about an hour and a half. For the next two days I was to be teaching Edouard's people in Talangai. I stayed in Edouard's home as much as i could instead of a hotel so that I could spend as much time with him as possible and minister to his leaders.
One of the strangest things happened to me on this trip while i was preaching, the Lord physically shut my eyes so that I could not open them and then proceeded to take over my thoughts. It was a bit scary and exactly what I have been looking for for years. Before the services began He would only give me a scripture to read and then when it was time to preach, as I walked to the front the anointing and presence of God would come on me very strong, my eyes would shut and I physically could not open them. I looked "bizarre", as the Congolese coined it for me (bizarre is also a french word). Then I would begin teaching things that I was amazed at. I quoted statistics, dates, periods of time and facts that I honestly don't know. After a period of time my eyes would open but even then I had no control over them. I was staring at the ceiling for another 10-20 minutes. When I was done the people were extremely excited by what I just taught and preached and to be frank, so was I. This happened for two nights and when I finished the power of God would fall on the people and many were touched by the power of God.
I was a little worried about some of the things I quoted during preaching, hoping that what I just experienced was genuinely God. It was. I checked dates, facts, and years and they were all right on the money. God knew exactly what He was talking about. That really is my desire. For God to put me on like a glove and use me for His glory.
The flight home was rough. All I could think about was getting back into the bush with the pygmy peoples. The next step for us is moving back into Congo and I am REALLY looking forward to it and so is my family.
God has called us to give our lives for these people. What an honor. We can't turn Him down.
Yesu azali Makonzi. Bokonzi ya Likolo ezali Awa!!!!!
(Our message: Jesus is King. The Kingdom of Heaven is here. Matthew 10:7-8)
