On our first day of ministry in Ngorongoro, I was partnered with Tom and Ortha. We went to a small village called Maasai Park. Tom and I started off sharing the gospel together, taking turns with one translator until my translator showed up. He did not come until later. Fortunately, we ran into the pastor of the church there in the village, the one we were helping to plant. Her name is Selena, and she speaks English, Swahili, and Maasai. She headed one way with Tom, while Bwire stayed to translate for me.
Bwire stopped at a small shop window and asked the man and woman inside if they had time to listen to what we had come to say about Jesus. The man quickly came out of the shop, and his wife listened at the window. As I shared the gospel, he listened very intently. When I got to the part of the story where Jesus rises from the dead, he smiled and was very excited!
When I finished, he told me that he was happy and excited, but he wanted to know an easier way to follow Christ. I told him that following Christ is not an easier life; it is a better one. I explained that Jesus told His followers that the reason He came was to bring life, abundant life.
Then, the man said that he was good, and he asked why he should go to church if he is already a good person. I said that it is good that he is good. "But," I asked, "have you ever lied?" He quickly responded, "No." But then, after waiting a couple of seconds, he said, "Oh wait, yes. I lied once when I was young." I explained to him that even that one time when he was young was a moment of disobedience against the Lord. And when one disobeys and sins against God, one is separated from God forever. I showed him the picture of Jesus on the cross from the Evangecube and further explained that through belief in Jesus, one can be reunited with God and forgiven of all sin.
Without hesitating, the Man with Questions declared, "Oh! I want to accept Jesus!" We prayed together, and he called upon Jesus as his Lord and Savior for the first time. He was so excited and grateful that me, an American, had come from so far away to Tanzania, to Ngorongoro, and then to Maasai Park to tell him about Jesus. As he continued, tears filled my eyes. He said that he had been waiting for such a long time for someone to tell him how to accept Jesus and follow Him the easy way (by just believing and trusting God for salvation and not by living a perfect life). He was blessed and excited!
I love when people ask questions. It means they are really processing what I am saying. God gave me words to answer the Man with Questions. Now, he no longer waits wondering. Instead, he is the Man with The Answer. He has Jesus in his heart and a full life before Him.
Love in The Answer!
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