36 BAPTISMS !!

Praise the Lord!! Today was a special day as we witnessed 36 new disciples of Christ! Hallelujah!! 36!!


Three things about that number that thrill me:

#1 – It was NOT a new church plant…which may sound odd coming from a church-planting missionary like myself. In the past, it has been common for us to have anywhere from 20 to 60 baptisms on one day when we have planted a NEW congregation. This is significant today because it demonstrates that we are having evangelistic efforts taking place in EXISTING congregations! As a matter of fact, there were new believers from 6 of the 7 congregations…praise the Lord for His activity in all these villages.

#2 – Also not exactly the thing you’d expect to hear from your missionary when reporting about over 30 baptisms…but I have to boast about this with BOLD letters:

I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN LEADING ONE OF THESE NEW BELIEVERS TO CHRIST!! NOT ONE!! NO, NOT ONE!!

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?! But the great thing is that the “direct” evangelism and Bible study came most directly from other Aja Christians. I know the Lord has used me to plant good seeds, water them and encourage these people in their journey toward Christ, but there are many other men and women who can truly claim the harvest (we all do in a way, but I am rejoicing that there are others who can go to bed tonight saying, “I was involved in that person coming to Christ.”) We are looking at a departure date in about a year and this is great to witness when we are toward the end of our physical presence here. Most missionaries talk about “working yourself out of a job”…this is what they mean! Of course, we know there is still much work to be done and a lot of work in maturing these new Christians…but we have to pause and praise God that He is bearing fruit in the lives of the Aja believers!

#3 – For any of you who have observed our work for the past 7 years or if you have visited here, you know well the man who works around our house named Sossa. He is such a close friend of our family…he is part of who we are here. He’s been working with us since 1999. He is married with one child and yet also has the responsibility of caring for multiple siblings (he’s only in his 20s and he’s the oldest)! Their mother died in 2002 and his father, Nsu (un-soo), has been an alcoholic all of his life…absent from any responsibility. So we have prayed incessantly for Sossa’s Dad to know Christ and receive his new life! Well, TODAY he did!! Sossa’s Dad (pictured below) was among the 36 who were immersed into Christ and received forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit! May the Spirit begin today that journey of transformation and root out all the old addictions!

OK, maybe one more reason….Ega (our Lael’s birth father) also had reason to rejoice today because his oldest daughter, Giselle (jee-zell), accepted Christ today as well. She’s almost 12 and it was great joy seeing her father’s face light up when she came up out of the water!

Many reasons to rejoice today! God is doing great things among the Aja people. It is a privilege to be here to watch it firsthand…and then get to share it with you as well!

-Randy