It'a beautiful dayin Freetown!

It has been a wonderful day in Freetown. A day full of blessings – good health, good traveling companions, good friends, safe travel and excellent classes.

Our day began once again with a trip to Crown Bakery. Today, the waitress didn’t even ask Steve to order she just automatically brought him a chocolate covered donut. It is a serious joy to take our driver and “mother hen” to the Crown Bakery and watch them enjoy a club sandwich. The bakery is owned by a British man and caters to the foreign crowd. You can even have a soft drink with ice there and not worry about what’s in the ice.

We made a short visit to the market at Victoria Park. Every vender has “excellent price” and the “best goods.” Everyone was willing to make us good deal. It is hectic and hot, but a blast if you like to bargain.

Our teaching day began as usual with questions. Today’s questions were even more serious and indicative of serious thought being given to yesterday’s classes. We were asked again about infant baptism and whether or not they needed to be baptized. The name of the church was questioned once again. They were challenged to find the name of their church in the Bible. They grew very silent after that challenge. Questions were raised about how to bring someone to faith in the existence of Jesus, particularly relevant in light of the large Moslem population in Sierra Leone. We were asked how to love our enemies and to once again explain the significance of baptism.

After an hour and half of questions our teaching began. The overall theme of today was change. Steve led off with a history lesson explaining where all the denominations came from. The challenge was if your church didn’t start in Jerusalem in 33 AD, whose church is it? I followed up with a lesson how to change a church and if it couldn’t be changed what to do. I tried to preach with passion and zeal calling on those in the audience to make the changes they and learned about – to turn their churches back to the NT pattern. Jimmy closed the day with a lesson on “Will you change?” He got right in their faces and challenged them to change if they loved the Lord and wanted heaven.

At the close of our lessons, as usual Joseph offered a great “invitation.” Once again we say “All to Jesus I Surrender” and he called on the audience to surrender all the way, with all their mind and all their heart. He asked, “What do you have left that needs to be surrendered to Jesus? Surrender is not easy, but with God’s grace surrender is possible.” It was a powerful and moving invitation.

This is the first night we have been here that we have not had to prepare lessons. Yes, we had lessons prepared before we left home, but most of those were scraped when we arrived and new ones have had to be prepared. Since we have no classes tomorrow, tonight we can breathe and relax (But for some reason we are all 3 sitting with laptops working away).

Tomorrow should be a great day. 24 people have requested to be baptized. I know they have been taught right. Joseph has encouraged them in the right way. I pray their conversion is genuine. As explained earlier, it’s not as simple as turning to the changing room beside the pulpit and using the baptistery. We have had to secure transportation, as the people do not have their own cars, in order to transport all of them to Kent Beach where they will be baptized in the ocean. Yes, it would have been great and more appropriate for them to have been baptized today and not wait till tomorrow. But, this is West Africa the things are unspeakably more difficult. Even the simplest of tasks requires more thought and preparation. I pray the Lord will withhold His return till these precious souls are joined with Christ in baptism. Among those who have asked to be baptized is John Kabul our “mother hen.” He has been our constant companion and protector. He is a beloved friend and soon to be our beloved brother. “Oh, happy day.”

Tomorrow, I have an appointment at 5:00 to preach on Sierra Leonean TV. The ½ hour program will air all over Sierra Leone. Pray that I will speak with boldness and wisdom and take full advantage of this incredible opportunity.

Sunday, we have appointments to preach in a church wanting to return to the NT pattern. We have been asked to explain why this is necessary and what changes need to be made.

As I write this, I realize that this time next week I will be safe in my own bed (and hopefully full of a Cracker Barrel meal). We have just a few precious days left and opportunities to teach. It is at this point in a trip that I often find myself torn. Torn between the need of these precious souls with an awareness of how much more needs to be taught and how they need to be fed and nurtured, but at the same time I miss my wife and family and want to be at home with them. Unless, you experienced something like this I’m not sure you can appreciate how torn our hearts are. Our work here is not close to being finished. We cannot leave these precious spiritual babes to the wolves and devices of Satan. We have an obligation to continue providing them spiritual food for their growth and maturity. I pray fervently and with great passion the Lord will continue to give me strength and good health that I might return and continue the great work that has begun.

If the Lord should so bless me, I cannot think of anyone I would rather travel and teach with then Steve Niemeier and Jimmy Lee. They have been pleasant traveling companions and wonderful Bible teachers. They are powerful preachers and are loved by the Sierra Leoneans with whom we have worked. I pray for their continued good health that it might be possible to enjoy this great blessing together again.