Does An African Country Or Some Other Needy Nation Beckon You?

A colleague, Andrew Strom, has just sent me aone -equating to the Third World.
piece on his visit to Nigeria and permission isA lot of us think it is the "spiritual" thing to do, to
granted to reproduce part of it. Why do I do thiswait and wait and wait right where we are, but as
and why do I want you to read it? Well, it soDavid Servant points out, Jesus clearly told his
reminded me of my times in Uganda and Kenya,disciples that if they were not received in one
speaking at Pastors Seminars in the slums and outtown, to leave that place and go on until they find
in the jungles.a receptive place. This is actually a commandment
We recently got back from our trip to Nigeria -of God. Otherwise all of God's servants are left
and had a wonderful time. The heat and thewasting their time in unresponsive environments.
never ending cloud of dust, smog and dieselJesus commands us to "GO!"
fumes were ever-present, but spiritually it was aPersonally, for many years now I have focused
fantastic trip.my attention almost entirely on the West. But
Three times God arranged it that we appearedGod is changing that. In fact, it would not surprise
on nationwide TV - once while we were preachingme at all if God calls our family to be based in the
and praying for the Goveror of Ogun State (a bitThird World sometime in the next few years.
like the Governor of California). Only God couldSuch is the need and the hunger there. Sadly it is
arrange such a thing at the last minute, and wethe exact opposite of what we so often find in
made sure He got all the glory. Thank you forthe comfortable apathetic West.
your prayers, my friends!I strongly encourage every preacher who is on
I know a lot of people on this List have hadthis List to consider the Third World - and soon. It
invitations to Third world countries to minister.may be time to think "outside the box", my
They want foreign preachers because they knowfriends. You won't regret it.
many people will come to hear a "white man"Thank you again for your wonderful prayers
preach!during our trip. We saw many breakthroughs in
I want to encourage you to take thesethe lives of both leaders and people as we spoke
opportunities, my friends, even if you have toon deep repentance and the true message of the
pay your own way and that is quite likely becauseCROSS vs. the selfish gospel of gain, etc. A lot of
they are so poor.people seemed very surprised and impacted by
I have come across many Repentance preachersthe messages. So your prayers made a huge
in the USA and the West who have beendifference. Thank you. I hope to return to Africa
frustrated and discouraged here with the lack ofagain in May.
response and/or openings. We need to realizeYours for the Third World Harvest, dear friends.
that there is a wide world out there that isThere is so much written above with which I can
hungry and desperate for sound preaching andidentify. Around 70 to 120 Pastors would walk or
biblical truth.cycle 10 to 17 miles to attend the three days
I remember once hearing David Servant make anSeminars, sleeping on the floor of the church
analogy of a fisherman with two fishing-holes tobuilding each night. I would be teaching 3 one and
choose from. In one fishing hole he caughta half hour sessions each day with time for
virtually no fish at all, and the one he did catchquestions. These men of God were so hungry.
jumped up and spat water in his face! In theStrong positive biblical leadership and teaching is so
other fishing hole the fish were so desperate toappreciated!
be caught that they were clinging onto the lineIt was worth all the 'hassle' of travel and all the
and he was hauling them in as fast as he could'inconvenience'. How often I have found over the
get his pole back in the water! Which fishing holeyears that when we are inconvenienced, that is
should he choose? Of course it was the secondwhen Almighty God uses us most of all.