Day 6 - The Harvest Is Plenty

Our Thursday started on an incredible note, as we arrived on campus at Hope Baptist to continue another

Mona shares with Robin

day of sharing the Gospel with those that would come to receive free glasses and sunglasses.  Our friend Rigobert (whom you met yesterday in our Day 5 post) was already there and he had brought a young lady whose eyes were filled with tears.  He waved to Kevin and invited him to come and meet "Robin."  Kevin learned that Rigobert had just met Robin that very morning as they waited at a bus stop and ended up sharing a taxi ride into town -- where he felt led to talk to her about Jesus.  Kevin then waved Mona into the picture and she shared the gospel with Robin who was so very willing and ready to accept the Lord into her life and she did just that with several of the team surrounding her.  The prayer that she prayed on her own and the words that came from her mouth were truly inspired and she seemed to fully understand the change that was taking place in her life at that moment.  She was the happiest

Robin happily shows off her new Bible and her new birthday!

young lady that you can imagine and Mona gave her one of the "Fisherman's Bible" New Testaments that we have been using to share the Gospel.  Mona suggested she write her name and her "born again" birthday (today!) on the front page of the Bible so she will always remember.  Robin said she will be at Hope Baptist on Sunday, so pray with us that she follows through on that so she can continue to be surrounded by believers as she is such a new Christian.

And that, our friends, is just ONE story from today that occurred even before we opened the front gate to the church!  Once the gate was opened, people continued to stream through that gate and were at times lined up 10 or 12 deep as they came for the free glasses and the chance to find out what excitement was happening at the church at the end of the street!


The line (or "queue" as they say here in South Africa)
to speak to a volunteer was often quite long.

A lady named Judith sat with Katie. She said she prayed a lot and that is how she would get to heaven. After being led through verses on salvation she realized she had never made that decision. She prayed and then Katie prayed. She opened her eyes in amazement and said, "When you pray for me I see light." She had not experienced this before. Katie encouraged her that that was God telling her she had made the right decision.  Speaking of decisions, there were SEVERAL other decisions for Christ made today as God continues to bless this little church in a mighty way!

We've also had many people either looking for or not having a church. Maybe they have found their family coming to Hope Baptist! Pastor Julius is expecting a BIG Sunday. We figured the church building could possible hold about 400-500 but it seems like a good motto for Africa would be "There's always room for one more!" We wait in anticipation to see how many God brings.

Another possible exciting contact made today was Mitch & Mona McDonald, Keith Matney and Pastor Julius, who met with a reach out organization in Pretoria that has a medical facility. They are interested in maybe beginning a pregnancy center outreach to Pretoria much like what Arizona Baptist Children Services runs in the Arizona pregnancy centers. Of course Mona is the best contact for them! 

 

So tomorrow will be our final day of distributing glasses and evengelizing in that way, and we so look forward to Sunday morning -- but let's not get ahead of ourselves and see what the Lord has in store for Friday and Saturday!

 

Here are more pictures from today (click once to enlarge each image):

 

Antoine, Mel, Mitch and Mona are
ready to start the day.

 

Although many are coming to seek the Lord at Hope Baptist,
we are reminded of poverty and homelessness that is ever
present, just a few steps from the church's front entrance.

 

Mimi from Hope Baptist and Keith from First
Southern Scottsdale -- working together
to further His kingdom!



Delilla from the country of Burundi -- and a member of
Hope Baptist -- displays her authentic West African
clothing, while her daugther Andrea squeezes in.

 

Four friends arrive after school and Busi takes them all on
at once!