I have just started an online course on missionary training and one of the books that I have to read as part of the course is Unveiled at Last by Bob Sjogren. The first page of the book caught my attention and had me hooked on the book immediately. Though I am only on chapter two, thought I would share an interesting story that starts the book off. I will just copy it here as it in the book.
"Feel the wind blowing hot over the scrub in the foothills on the edge of the desert. Listen to the cracked, dry twitch of locusts. The sun is mercifully fading over this speck of Southern Ethiopia. Night is coming quickly, prompting the lighting of torches in the boisterous encampment of the semi-nomadic Mursi tribe.
Sitting in the dirt next to Britisher Malcom Hunter, you're a link in the great circle surrounding a festive stick-fighting ceremony. You can hardly hear Malcom over the shouts of the fights and the lowing of the herd surrounding the camp. "Nomads are some of the most God-conscious peoples on earth," Malcom says. "They liver under God's stars, and appoint prayer leaders to pray to the Creator for rain."
Just then an entourage of seven warriors strides before you. They push a huge, muscled old man forward. Stoic as s statue, he's smeared with rancid butter and glistens in the firelight. One who can speak a little Swahili shouts to Malcom, "He is your brother!" Malcom looks at you. "I must not be understanding him. His Swahili is pretty rough."
"He is your brother," the warrior insists. "He has your blood in him." Through the evening, squinting against the swirling dirt of dust devils in the hot wind and listening over the cracks of the stick fighting, you piece the bits of the story.
Decades ago, the Mursi, now about 6,000 strong, were being decimated by a yellow fever epidemic. The tribe council finally chose eighteen of the strongest warriors to travel to the edge of the bush and find medicine.
After days of waling and near death from the fever, the eighteen staggered in to a tiny hit that was a clinic staffed by a young American doctor. The doctor had himself been inoculated against yellow fever, but he had no yellow fever antidote. He didn't even have a way of taking blood samples from the dying men. But he did what he could. He inserted a needle into his own arm and began giving blood transfusions to the dying warriors, giving as much blood as he could without losing consciousness.
Fifteen of the men died. Three miraculously survived. The last of those legendary warriors stands before you.
Excited, Malcom leaps to his feet and begins in pantomime and "trade" Swahili to explain to the gathering crowd: "This mighty warrior is a picture to you from the God who sends rain. The God of the stars became a Man. He, too, gave His blood to save the Mursi!"
"Feel the wind blowing hot over the scrub in the foothills on the edge of the desert. Listen to the cracked, dry twitch of locusts. The sun is mercifully fading over this speck of Southern Ethiopia. Night is coming quickly, prompting the lighting of torches in the boisterous encampment of the semi-nomadic Mursi tribe.
Sitting in the dirt next to Britisher Malcom Hunter, you're a link in the great circle surrounding a festive stick-fighting ceremony. You can hardly hear Malcom over the shouts of the fights and the lowing of the herd surrounding the camp. "Nomads are some of the most God-conscious peoples on earth," Malcom says. "They liver under God's stars, and appoint prayer leaders to pray to the Creator for rain."
Just then an entourage of seven warriors strides before you. They push a huge, muscled old man forward. Stoic as s statue, he's smeared with rancid butter and glistens in the firelight. One who can speak a little Swahili shouts to Malcom, "He is your brother!" Malcom looks at you. "I must not be understanding him. His Swahili is pretty rough."
"He is your brother," the warrior insists. "He has your blood in him." Through the evening, squinting against the swirling dirt of dust devils in the hot wind and listening over the cracks of the stick fighting, you piece the bits of the story.
Decades ago, the Mursi, now about 6,000 strong, were being decimated by a yellow fever epidemic. The tribe council finally chose eighteen of the strongest warriors to travel to the edge of the bush and find medicine.
After days of waling and near death from the fever, the eighteen staggered in to a tiny hit that was a clinic staffed by a young American doctor. The doctor had himself been inoculated against yellow fever, but he had no yellow fever antidote. He didn't even have a way of taking blood samples from the dying men. But he did what he could. He inserted a needle into his own arm and began giving blood transfusions to the dying warriors, giving as much blood as he could without losing consciousness.
Fifteen of the men died. Three miraculously survived. The last of those legendary warriors stands before you.
Excited, Malcom leaps to his feet and begins in pantomime and "trade" Swahili to explain to the gathering crowd: "This mighty warrior is a picture to you from the God who sends rain. The God of the stars became a Man. He, too, gave His blood to save the Mursi!"
What an amazing story and analogy of what Jesus did for us. What a sacrifice. I have his blood. I am saved by the blood. The bible says in Hebrews 9:22 that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
I have been praying for the youngsters who gave their souls to Christ last week and I felt in my heart I need to start meeting with them and pray with them and just have fun together in the Lord and learn a thing or two from the word of God. When I was reading this book yesterday, a thought occurred to use the book as a bible study tool and I am very excited about it.
I have been praying for the youngsters who gave their souls to Christ last week and I felt in my heart I need to start meeting with them and pray with them and just have fun together in the Lord and learn a thing or two from the word of God. When I was reading this book yesterday, a thought occurred to use the book as a bible study tool and I am very excited about it.
Please pray that:-
- The Lord will keep these dear ones in salvation and go on to minister to others for the Glory of God
- They will attend the meetings and that God will provide for their fares.
- They will be eager to learn the word of God and find time to study the Word
- They will be strengthened in the faith and the hold of sin over their lives will be broken
- God will give the grace to devote time to the course, the study of the word and prayer.
- God will provide for the other courses.
- I will not grow weary of doing good. It is only by grace.
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