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!
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!
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