Hope by the Thousands

Last night I went to a dinner to benefit a missionary ministry in the heart of the Belgian Congo in Africa. I tell about this amazing ministry in another blog - Heart of the Congo

It was a beautiful evening, as lovely as a wedding, and I got to spend some time with special friends I rarely see.

And I heard something absolutely amazing.

There are 352 churches that have resulted from this ministry in the Congo, which trains the Congolese themselves to know God's word and minister to their own people.

They don't have church on Sundays. They have church every single day. For hours. The worship music especially draws new people EVERYday.

Because these people have nothing. No tv's or computers or sports. No doctors to give them medicine or dentists to fix their teeth. And they live in an area plagued by darkness and witchcraft and cannibalism, even human sacrifice.

And they are drawn to the light! They embrace God's truth and their lives are changed forever. And their children.

Think of what a blessing to these children, who live in hopelessness and darkness. When Mom or Dad discovers the hope of Christ and comes home with joy in their heart! To know despite your circumstances you can have joy in your heart.

So anyway, they spent some time recently investigating how many people have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior over since the beginning of 2008.

670,000! Six hundred and seventy thousand.

They said they couldn't believe it, so they went back to all those pastors again and confirmed. And it is true.

670,000 who had no hope and no comforts now living with the hope of the living God daily in their hearts.

Seventy years ago when Laban Smith unexpectedly started this ministry, he prayed that God would use him to open the eyes of 10,000 people. To save just 10,000 people from the hopelessness they were surrounded by!

Recently a pastor from a town called Ilebo walked and rode his bicycle 200 miles to come to these missionaries to beg them to come to his town. He said it is deeply entrenched in witchcraft in darkness.

Can you imagine raising your babies in such an environment?

They are going in August, they charter a small plane cause there is no way to get there otherwise and bring all they need.

They take tents to sleep in and all they will need to eat for the duration.

They said at each location they set up, they do worship music for an hour or so, which will draw thousands and be the highlight of many of their lives, for they have no such entertainment.

Then they show the Jesus film at night projected on white sheets.

Then they speak to them and call people who want to accept Jesus as their savior.

Then they take all those people and again talk with them and explain and make sure they understand what they are doing.

It takes hours and the people still don't want it to be over.

Then the next week they go over the book of Colossians with them, staying to minister to the people to give them a foundation of their faith.

Say a prayer for the people of Ilebo! That they may have eyes to see, and ears to hear, and hearts to receive the truth of the light of the world, that was sent to bring hope to their hearts.

And if you would like check out their site or Nancy's blog below. You can donate through their site if you would like to give toward funding the trip to Ilebo.

labanministries.org