The Land of the Cushites

The grandson of Noah came to this land now known as Sudan thousands of years ago. The descendants of the ark-builder settled in the Nubi mountains and became one of the great kingdoms lead by those often referred to as the "Black Pharaohs". In 400 AD Christian missionaries brought the gospel of Jesus to this region, the roots of which can still be found among the modern tribe called the Moro people. 

I was privileged this past month to preach in the town of Dar el Salaam just north of Khartoum predominately comprised of Moro. It was with my friend, Pastor Angelo Naser. Pastor Naser planted the Brethren Independent Baptist Church a decade ago. He has been a faithful servant of God in this muslim land in spite of the religious persecution many have faced for Christ. Many local pastors have recently been imprisoned and their churches demolished by the Islam-strong government. 

I preached for three days for Pastor Naser and another day taught in a local Bible school. The last night we had more than 500 people in the open air just at the front of the church property where 65 souls came to the Lord. The gospel is going forward in the muslim world. We must not become slack in this hour of decision. We must continue to reach the lost in this arid land. As Noah spared the world from a world-wide flood through his obedience, we must reach his descendants in this day through our sending the message of hope and salvation through Jesus.

The Lamb of God in Egypt

There would be no greater violence than an assassination attempt on our Savior when he was but a young boy. Fleeing to Egypt along the Nile River to escape the fierce sword of Herod came Mary and Joseph with the Son of God. More than three decades before his prophesied death, the anger of a jealous King would send the holy family to Upper Egypt looking for assyluum. For most likely two years they would keep Jesus in hiding in this land of the Pharaohs, before finally returning to Nazareth to live out his childhood.

It was this land of refuge that I would come in October of 2016 to help conduct a three-day  crusade with my friend, Pastor Botros Faltaos. It was a joy to be with Pastor John Wilkerson and Deacon Wayne Shaeffer of the First Baptist Church  of Hammond, Indiana. Each night at the revival just south of El-Minya there was a great crowd ranging from 1100-1400 people. Scores of souls came to Christ as there was an English and Arabic service each evening with great music preceding the preaching. The services were aired on the Arabic TV stations called, "The Way". The last two  evening we had a youth service in conjunction with the adult program. During this time, many young people accepted Christ as their Savior. 

The work of God in Egypt is progressing, but needs the prayers and support of those who can aid this great ministry. Pastor Botros has a part in overseeing more than 4 dozen Baptist churches within the Biblical Baptist Church based out of Alexandria. The pastors he has trained or ordained are scattered throughout Cairo, Alexandria, and Upper Egypt. Pray for this needy land that afforded Jesus a place of safety when he was just a child. Pray that as the Christ child found a place of security in this north African land when he was threatened with violence, so today might he find a place in the hearts of Egyptians where the Word of God is being preached. There are more than 90 million Arab-speaking people in this muslim-dominated country that need to find Christ. The gospel still works in the lives of those who will receive Christ. We must reach them while we can. 

"Never Too Old"

As I traveled into parts of Africa during the months February and March of 2016, I found a common thread among those with whom I served. It was that several that were serving Christ in some capacity of missions were men and women that had been in the work of God for many decades and were approaching their twilight years.

I was with a dear sweet missionary on the island of Seychelles that represented the best of missions. Her name was Daisy Naicker. She was from South Africa, but of Indian decent. Daisy had spent years in missions both in Fiji and Zambia prior to the death of her husband. Now for several years had being an agent of Child Evangelism Fellowship winning hundreds of children to Christ in this tiny island in the Indian Ocean, I was blessed to minister with her and see all that God was using her to do in spite of her own struggles physically.

Later in my travels, I found myself in the southern region of Ethiopia in a mountainous village sleeping in a mud hut with American missionary, Ray Hoover. We had come to this village of "Ethiopian Jews" to show the Jesus Film and to further explore the possibility of planting a new church. He likewise, had spent many years in missions as well as pastoring in Brooklyn, New York. He had served as a church planter on the island of Malta, and now for the past many years was training nationals and planting churches in East Africa. Brother Hoover and his wife lived very simple lives, sacrificing most comforts for the souls of the Ethiopian people. We slept this night in a place where many Americans would have chosen otherwise. Though the conditions were harsh, this nearly 70 year-old missionary, showed nothing but joy and gratitude to the local people. Many were saved before we returned home to Addis Ababa.

A week later, I found myself on a church platform in Alexandria, Egypt, participating in the ordination service of a young Egyptian preacher. Seated beside me was Bill Grossman, an American missionary that was 86 years of age. He had spent the last many years preaching the gospel in Tunisia as well as Egypt. His wife had passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's. He wore a tattered jacket as he charged the people in his sermon. He told of being arrested more than 30 times in Tunisia for preaching Jesus on the streets. He was using the years remaining in his life to make a mark for Christ in North Africa.

I have since returned to my comfortable bed in Florida. I jorneyed throughout 6 African nations and more than 20,000 miles. I was blessed to see more than 7,000 souls come to Christ during a 4 week span. I preached in schools, churches, prisons, stores, and the open air. However, one of the lasting impressions on me from this trip to my favorite continent, was not any of the natural beauty I enjoyed, or the hospitality of the African people I met. The most impressionable part of the last month was meeting three elderly missionaries, one in Seychelles, one in Ethiopia, and one in Egypt. It was seeing the charitable spirit of two  men and one woman who had lived into their senior years and yet continued to think of the needs of others. It was seeing them do without for benefit of those they served. I was changed for the good in observing them. I was edified watching their aching bodies muster the strength to go on. I was encouraged to NEVER get "too old" to go on for Jesus!