Boldness for Him

“Have you had anybody try to harm you?”

“Oh yes...We had people chasing us for some time. Angry. Yelling.” He was smiling as he spoke.

“Oh my goodness!! What did you do...” That sounded terribly sketchy, especially considering we had missed the morning session due to volunteer hours.

“We are not afraid...We have God” He was casually strolling and talking. “We just told them they did not have to listen, and kept going.” Clearly...he was not fazed in the least.

Kelly and I had met up with one of the Cell Bible leaders and school teachers in Watoto. Every month, he tries to organize a mission weekend, where he and other teachers pick a neighbourhood  going door to door to talk to people about Jesus. Sometimes individuals. Sometimes large families. Anybody who wants to listen. In the evening, they have an outdoor crusade where they worship in song, preach the gospel and project a film for the village to watch. 182 had come to know and accept Christ the last missions weekend.

“The response is so good, that we only got one fourth of the area done...” He was saying.

“Anybody accept Christ?”

“30 people that we know of, so far”

I thought of the sheer boldness - planning on one specific area, and going door-to-door in a primarily Muslim area to offer the Hope of Christ. The desire? That was easy. Love.

I find it rare back home to still meet people of this boldness. People who not only see Christ as Someone worth sharing, but live their lives in action of this. It is not that the need is less back home, in fact, it is probably greater than here. With so many distractions and security in money, the awareness of a need for redemption lessens. Although the awareness is dim, the need is still the same and the work to be done requires more boldness and labourers to reach those who are blinded by what surrounds them. Moreover, we are taught to be tolerant of all religions. Fair enough, but this was not being intolerant, rather sharing a love and telling of gift offered to all. If we are told to live as Christ, He Himself displayed a life of boldness, never swaying from the truth or creating excuses. Rather for over twenty verses, he rebuked the religious leaders of that time for not practising what they preached, sacrificing what was nothing to them, and therefore, having their hearts far from Him. He said this, although He knew many would reject Him, and therefore, reject His offer of redemption and eternal life.

In listening to the Cell teacher, I was reminded:

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great...” Matthew 5:11.

It was clear that these Watoto teachers were living in this light.

We turned up a rutted steep road, weaving between small clay and brick houses, and reached a courtyard. There people gathered from the neighbourhood  curious, to listen to what was being presented. For fear of the Muslim community, many only came out as dusk was approaching. Worship had ended and a teacher was talking about the way to reconciliation and a relationship with God. As the video showing “Passion of the Christ” began, Kelly and I began to head back to our apartment. It was dark, and travel was dangerous at night so we wanted to get a head start.

With the lights and gathering behind us, we hopped a ride with a bodaboda driver who happened to be a preacher himself. He too had meetings to invite others to Christ, and talked of God's love on the way back to our apartments. His name was a demonstration of who we all should be for Christ. Bright.

Kelly and I dismounted the bike at our village on the hill. The stars were out, and we could see that the power was on in the apartments. I pray that we could learn from the love and boldness here, and be a bright light wherever we live...wherever we are.