The Second Village

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The second village we visited is the largest un-reached people group in Africa. It was very different from our experience with the  first village.  When we pulled in the children did not come running from the village to greet us with smiles and giggles.  There  were only a few and they stood next to a large tree a short distance from the van.  I am sure as we approached them they were as curious about us as we were the reaction we would get from them.  

We were not allowed to go to the chief as we did in the first village.  We were told only two of us could accompany Wahab so off went Reid Beebe and Mark. Browning.  While they were visiting the chief we began playing with the children.  The boys broke out the soccer ball and the walls fell.  They were laughing and playing soccer right off.  All of us would tell you what a blessing it was to have Christopher (lil Richard) Browning with us.  He was an excellent interpreter.

We were anxiously awaiting Mark and Reid's return and as we saw them approaching were trying to figure out whether or not we had been given permission to show the film.  We had!  W began to tell us a little about the village.  There were Shantis (I hope that is right) in the village.  They are nomads that travel from village to village with guns and machetes intimidating the villagers and taking what they want.  When they are finished or board they move on to the next village.  It was not intimidating when we saw them but you knew that you needed to be cautious around them.

Just before dark things began to happen that caused you to know there was a spiritual battle about to take place.  As we sat next to the church we were suppose to show the film in which was filled with bees, bats began to stream out of the building.  We were ducking and screaming as we watched several hundred of them billowing out and flying around us.  Then, there was a pack of dogs and they began fighting and it was very viscous.  The Shant's walked by ensuring we noted their guns and machetes, which we did.  They could not see the prayers that were going up for them and the village they were invading. 

Only the children and a few adults had come from the village to watch. We were wanting to share with as many of the villagers as possible but were very aware that God was orchestrating the evening and we were His hands and feet.  We were praying during the film and when it was half way through, the adults began to show up. I know they could hear the film in their village because of the speaker that we brought with us and it was in their language.  All together (and this is a guess) there were about 200 people there by the end of the film.  There was a clear mocking of the film from many of them and one man in particular stood in front of me with a dead stare that was not inviting at all!  During the altar call they were laughing and making fun of the few that did come forward.  We were all wondering how they would be treated after we left.  


One of the young men that travels with us and interprets and gives the altar calls spends every Friday there.  It is a 8 hour journey each week.  We are thankful for him and ask that you pray for his ministry there, especially for his relationships with these new believers.  There is much to be done and there are very few workers to go into this people group to minister.  We are praying for God to send the workers into this very untouched group of people.