“For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Col 1:13

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Build Your House Upon the Rock

Justin and Korby have recently graduated from college and are now serving as Journeymen in the mountain village of Matsaile, Lesotho. Here they are standing in front of their home (a rondavel) where they will live for the next 2 years. Inside this hut is a futon sofa, two sleeping cots, a very small fridge and two burner stove top, both of which run off propane, as well as a water filter and a small table with two chairs. Their water source is a spring 1 kilometer across the mountain from their rondavel.
They use a wheel barrow to haul over 50 liters or 120 lbs of water once every 4 days. In this picture Micah is going to the source to fill up these containers. Once these containers are filled the real work begins as they now have to push the water back up the hill to their home. Just as Jesus spoke the truth to the woman he met at the well, pray that Justin and Korby will speak truth to the people they meet at their well.
Huts like this one surround the Journeyman's hut. Living behind Korby and Justin is Thabo. Thabo started asking questions about God and so Korby and Justin, using "The Proclaimer", a solar powered digital audio player, began listening to the Bible in Sesotho. They were able to teach Thabo using their broken Sesotho and Thabo using his broken English. After meeting daily to discuss the Bible for a week Thabo invited them to his house for "church" where he played a chapter from Mark on the Proclaimer and then taught what he had learned.
Thabo with his written copy of Scripture and his oral copy of Scripture. Pray that Thabo would receive Jesus and give his life to Him. Pray that he would continue to desire to learn the Bible. Pray that he would be used by God to start a church in the village of Matsaile.
Peach trees are everywhere in Lesotho and they were in full bloom in early September. Almost every hut had a least one.
The Basotho use horses to travel these rugged mountains. These two men were on their way to the circumcision camp. This rite of passage for boys is a camp where they learn what it takes to be a Basotho man. In addition to being circumcised, they learn a variety of skills like stick fighting.
The Basotho men carry a Mulamu. This is a stick that is about 2 1/2 feet long and at this camp the boys learn to fight with them. On this particular day the men from the village joined the boys who were in camp to practice stick fighting out in front of the village. All the kids and women came out to the edge of the village to watch.
Justin and Korby had a good seat to watch the festivities. Pray that the young men of Matsaile will see the difference Jesus is making in Thabo's life and that they would become serious followers of Jesus.
Boys like these will grow up learning about raising sheep, riding horses, witchcraft, and ancestor worship. Thank God that Justin and Korby have been obedient so that they will have an opportunity to learn about Jesus.
Do you see his Mulamu (fighting stick) on his back?
Pray that the Basotho men would hunger for God's truth.
Their kitchen was small but the food was good. Sunday morning Daren Davis and Tom Melvin cooked French toast for all the guys.
It gets cold at night in Lesotho. Korby and Justin staying warm in bed.
Their drop toilet sits just outside their hut.
There is no such thing as a quick trip to the grocery store when you live in Matsaile. Justin and Korby have their food and other essentials flown in every few weeks. They also get a break every 4 to 6 weeks and they fly to the capital city of Maseru and have a few days of much needed R&R. Left to Right: Justin, Tom Melvin, Eli Melvin, Micah Davis, Daren Davis, and Korby Griffith. Ask God to give these two young men the endurance they will need to persevere for the sake of the gospel. Pray God gives them more young men like Thabo and that a church will start in the village of Matsaile.