Review of 1st Day of Public Teaching

Day Three Blog

Where to start? We were to be ready this morning at 7:00 A.M. for our crew to pick us up. Already we have had some travel issues here in the country. Last night to save fuel they left one vehicle here and they all went to their places of rest in the other. For some reason only the driver of that vehicle came back this morning to get us – it seems that he made a mistake.

Anyway without breakfast we were off and hurrying to the national television station for an interview on the Sierra Leone version of the Today Show. Upon our arrival we were told that only one would be interviewed (I had anticipated that from last year). Jimmy, Dan and Dan were all thinking that I would do the interview – at the last moment I told Jimmy to go in and do the interview. Needless to say there was not much color in his face for a brief moment or two but as usual he went in and hit the homerun.

We then went to the Crown Bakery for some breakfast. I needed to go with John Kabul to see about a portable internet connection as we have had such a terrible time trying to get connected so we could communicate with you back home. Jimmy, Dan and Dan went on down to the Crown Bakery and started eating. John Kabul and I found that the whole country evidently had been having some internet problems but they would be fixed later – so for the second time we failed to get a portable connection.

We also needed to top off the phone with more units so we could call back home if needed. What an adventure – the fellow on the street we were dealing with (now folks I do not know how to even explain how they do business over here and use every square inch of the sidewalk to do business and how many people are involved in talking to you about the business you are trying to do) quoted us a price that was different than the sign. John Kabul talked with him and was getting nowhere and he was getting frustrated. I stepped up to this fellow and his two partners and asked them if they knew what the word cheating meant. They said they did – I said good and asked are you cheating me? Of course they said no. I said that God knows if they are cheating me and if I found out that they were cheating I was really going to be upset because several people had sacrificed to send me and my colleagues over here to teach the un-perverted gospel and if he was cheating me then he would be cheating them and that could not be. About the time I said “If you are cheating me – and I find out – I will come back to face you” – Samuel our military guard from last year walks up and asks “are they cheating you?” – you talk about some scared Sierra Leones – those boys were petrified – they went and got other prices with Samuel and Samuel found out they were okay – needless to say I was chuckling and when we go back later to do business of getting more units I have no doubt that they will not even think of cheating us.

After a good breakfast of two chocolate croissants we then went on to Ebenezer Hall for our teaching. We were to start at 12:00 noon and folks we actually started at 11:45 A.M. – you talk about shocked! Jimmy and I had prepared Dan and Dan that we would not get started until about 30 to 45 minutes late. Well that was just the first shock – the next shock came when we found chaplains upon chaplains coming into the hall – three different branches of them – the army (including the head Chaplain himself Col. Kargbo) the head Chaplain of the Fire Force (national fire department), and the head Chaplain of the Sierra Leone National Police force. They had all instructed (under Col. Kargbo’s orders) to have many of their Chaplain’s to leave this week open and attend our studies. Col Kargbo even made a public statement that the country had benefited so much from the impact of last year’s studies that he expected every one of the chaplains to go back to their regions after these studies and tell all in the country about this un-perverted gospel that has now come to Sierra Leone and the impact it had on the area around Freetown since last year and the impact it will have this year – we were stunned – much work to do to with him and these chaplains but it seems he is interested in the teaching of the Bible on the one church and the instructions pertaining to this one church.

Dan Barker started us with an exciting lesson about a New Testament Christian (his theme for the five days at Ebenezer Hall)– he is a good teacher and he laid out the foundation for his next four lessons on this subject well. As a result of his good lesson many questions came in pertaining to his lesson. It is going to be good to see him develop this as we go because of the confusion over here (and in the USA) about just who is a New Testament Christian.

Dan Byers was next and just as he did in Moldova a few years back he did a great job also. His theme is on the family as God would have it (both physically and spiritually). He started in Genesis and covered the issue of how there was no mate suitable for Adam so God made him one. He went in to the importance of understanding the concept of marriage as God created it – not as man has perverted it. Dan will continue to build on this foundation and he also had many (and I mean many) questions on his lesson.

Need I say anything about Jimmy Lee? His theme is the New Testament Church – for those who know him know that he has the ability to bring lessons with a unique technique. This he did again – picking up where he left off last year down in the audience teaching them and getting them to participate – much confusion about the term “churches” used in the New Testament and why those cannot be different churches (such as denominations) today. He will no doubt have many questions when we return tomorrow on this subject.

My theme is Apostasy. I started with the simple question “Do you love truth” in my introduction to our lessons today (before Dan, Dan, Jimmy and I gave our lessons) and told the audience I would ask them again after the lessons. When I asked it before the lessons they all said yes. Look below for what they answered after all the lessons.

I then was the last speaker and started building the case of just why we should follow the Bible. I gave basic information of the Bible such as a breakdown of who wrote it – how long it took – the languages it was written in originally – the dates of some of the books – the purpose of it and the inspiration of it. I had to go slow because they were writing down every slide – this was very new to most of them. When I finished I showed the Plan of Salvation slide that I show at the end of every one of my lessons when I use the power point. As I explained this slide I finished by asking “Do love the truth now?” Many just sat there in silence – the Lord allowed Dan, Dan, Jimmy and I in this first day of teaching to challenge their thinking enough to question what they believed.

As I was about to finish this epistle we had a knock on the door. It was Christian and Theopolis from the Priscilla Street congregation. We had a wonderful two hour discussion concerning the Lord’s work here in Sierra Leone. Many issues were discussed and their love for the Lord and His word came through loud and clear. As a result of this discussion we understand some of the culture of Sierra Leone better and the history and impact of those Americans who believe in sponsoring churches and human institutions have had in Sierra Leone. This discussion tonight was one of those “impact discussions” that will have lasting impact on those that were participating – it is now 12:09 A.M. and I venture to say sleep will not come easy tonight as many thoughts are going on in our heads.

Again – thank you for your prayers and support – we look to update you about day four.