Not Forgetting Africa
(A report by Rev Lee Kim Shong, pastor of Calvary Jaya BPC, on his mission trip to Kenya & Tanzania, Nov 21-Dec 6, ’06)
Since entering fulltime ministry about 20 years ago, Africa has been in my mind as a potential mission field. However, I never made any serious effort to go. Since Calvary Jaya BPC supported African FEBC students, and I as pastor knew little about Africa, I was invited to visit Africa and the churches there a few years ago. I hesitated to accept the invitation but at the end of last year when I received another invitation to visit Africa in a missions conference, I felt then that it was the time to say yes.
On 21st November at about 3 am, Dr Jeffrey Khoo (True Life BPC), Eld Tan Nee Keng (Berean BPC) and I flew with Qatar Airways to the city of Doha. This was the city which hosted the 15th Asian Games recently. Sportsmen at the Games compete for a perishable crown but we Christians press towards the mark of Christ for an imperishable crown. The whole journey took us about eight hours covering a distance of 6,215 km. Thank God for the smooth journey and a very pleasant service on board.
After three hours of waiting, we flew to the city of Nairobi in Kenya. The Airbus took us to a height of 36,000 ft above sea level, and it took us five hours to reach Nairobi, covering a distance of 3,407 km. After such a long journey, I felt quite tired.
Rev Dr Mark Kim Kyung Soo (Principal, BCEA, Kenya & Tanzania), Pr Eben Yoon (BCEA lecturer) and Pr Richard Tiu (BCEA lecturer) met us at the Nairobi airport. Rev and Mrs Mark Kim of Korea were called to serve at the Bible College of East Africa (BCEA) 17 years ago. Rev and Mrs Mark Kim have laboured hard in the vineyard. Now they see the fruits of their labour. There are about 90 students in the college now.
After we were comfortably settled into our rooms at BCEA, Dr Jeffrey Khoo began to teach that very night. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Eccl 11:6). There were about 60 students who attended his lectures on 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
I was invited to preach at the morning chapel the next day. After the morning service, Rev Mark Kim fetched Eld Tan and me to Arusha, Tanzania. Enroute to Arusha, we passed by a vast area of land inhabited by the Masai who are nomads. On the road to Arusha, we saw a few giraffes. The giraffe, which is the national animal of Tanzania, is known for its tameness. After clearing the hurdles of the muddy road, we managed to arrive safely in Arusha city after a 340-km journey. After checking into Hotel Saba Saba (which means 77), we went to visit BCEA Tanzania.
BCEA Tanzania is located in the small town of Usa River approximately 23 km away from Arusha city. The Bible College is built on eight acres of land located at Chem Chem Village (translated as “water springs”) and about one kilometre off the main road. Rev Elibariki Peter Nanyaro (Academic Dean) and the students were there to welcome us. We could see the majestic Mount Meru from the Bible College campus. Mount Meru is the second highest mountain in Africa.
When we returned to the hotel that night, there were no street lights. The pedestrians had to depend on the passing vehicles’ lights. In the hotel room, we were blessed with quietness. There was no television but we had the “African Insects’ Symphony.” Blackouts are frequent in the country due to the lack of power supply. How I appreciate the street lights in our homeland and the candles in the hotel room! The whole world is in spiritual darkness and in need of the gospel light desperately. As Christians, are we shining for the Lord in our respective corners?
Most of the students in the Bible College are preachers or pastors. The oldest student is over 60 years old. It is encouraging to see students who are much advanced in age. We should never stop learning as long as we live. Learning is an exciting process of gaining wisdom. I was given three hours each day to teach the book of Ecclesiastes to the students. There were 16 of them who attended the class. They were attentive and most of them did quite well in tests after the lectures.
The largest Christian denomination in Tanzania is the Evangelical Lutheran Church which has joined the World Council of Churches. It was started by German missionaries and later helped by the Lutheran Church of the United States. Rev Elibariki’s church is called Africa Missions and Evangelism Church (AMEC). It was separated from the Evangelical Lutheran Church many years ago. His church takes a stand against the unbiblical ecumenical movement which is prevalent in most countries today. The greatest need of his church is the sound preaching and teaching of the Bible.
On the 30th of November, I was invited to speak at the Combined Youth Conference of AMEC. I spoke on the life of Samson. People came from different villages, some even travelled for as far as 50 km. There was a 50-year old mother who asked permission to join the youth conference. She was a youth at heart. The youth conference was attended by some 50 participants. The conference was held in a church which was situated near the burial ground of the first German Protestant missionary who had died for his faith.
In the evening of December 1st, we attended the end-of-term dinner of the Bible College. We had a good meal in one of the classrooms. Rev Elibariki, the academic dean, together with the students expressed appreciation for our teaching ministry and hoped for us to visit them again.
The next day, I was invited to preach in the Marikanda congregation. After the service, we lunched with the Bishop of AMEC, Rev Lucas Pallangyo. He is about 80 years old with a joyful spirit. We enjoyed fellowship with him. After that, we drove to visit Kilimanjaro International Airport. While we were there, we saw the unveiling of the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. At 19,340 ft above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Africa. The grandeur of the sight was awe-inspiring and humbling.
The following day saw us taking a minibus back to Nairobi. We stayed the last night in Nairobi before we took the flight home via Doha and Singapore. Thank God for the safe and fruitful journey. Thank God for the help of friends in Kenya and Tanzania throughout the mission trip. In Christ, we are not limited by geographical boundaries, ethnicity and languages.We are one in the body of Christ.
After sixteen days of travel, it is so good to taste the spicy Malaysian curry again. God willing, we shall return to the Bible College to teach God’s Word. Can we forget Africa? Will you support the work of God there?
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: The Epistles of Life
I John 1:8-10
An Unrepentant Heart is a Dark Heart
Under the searchlight of the God of Light, no matter how pure and holy a life we’ve lived, we can only say like Isaiah, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). How much more when we get involved with a brother in some altercation, no matter how trivial.
It will not do to crow over one’s righteousness. We should not always point the finger at others, at the brother with whom we are in dispute. This is what the Apostle means when he says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
But the repentant heart is always acceptable before God: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalms 51:17). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Therefore the brother who rejects reconciliation to the fourth “degree” because he thinks he is all pure is tantamount to saying, God is a liar! But His word is not in him. He has in fact repudiated God, not man! His adamant heart being a closed heart is a dark heart.
Is our Christian fellowship sincere? The things we say of others behind their backs dare we say in front of them? A word from Solomon: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). Memorise!
Of the Twelve Apostles who was the one with a dark heart?
I John 2
The Law of Fellowship
As we have seen in the previous chapter, Christian fellowship can be spoilt by sin in just one of its members. To maintain this fellowship certain principles are laid down which we abbreviate under the word “law”.
1. Between members of the Church and the Head of the Church, there stands Jesus Christ, the Advocate, to plead our cause, who also becomes the propitiation for our sins.
2. Between members themselves they are to obey the commandments which are summarised under “love one another”.
3. As to the world we are to refrain from loving it or lusting after it. Loving the world and loving God are mutually exclusive.
4. As to antichrists masquerading as brethren in the Church, it is essential that these be removed from the fellowship.
5. In matters of judgement the fellowship has the anointing of the Spirit to help them discern between error and truth. This anointing illuminates us from going astray.
6. Abiding in Christ is the assurance of our salvation until Christ comes again.
Let us test ourselves if we are keeping these laws of fellowship, not that by keeping them we are saved, but rather being saved these can become our keeping. Ps. 119:97-99: “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are mymeditation.” Memorise!
T T
