Others teaching others: Atison

[Note: This is part two of a series started a few days ago. Click here to read part one. The first three paragraphs below are repeated from that entry.]

Timothy, as what we might term a missionary to Ephesus, was discouraged. He had been urged to stay there by Paul (1Tim 1:3), and had already received one instructive and encouraging letter (1 Timothy) from his father in the faith. Nonetheless, it is apparent that Timothy was having a hard time, and thus Paul sent him a second letter (2 Timothy) in an attempt strengthen his resolve.

I think I understand how Timothy felt. I am amazed at how often (and easily) I become discouraged in our work in Vanuatu. I am encouraged, though, as I read about the frustrations that Jesus, Paul, Timothy and others experienced in their labors.

One of the principle goals Paul gave to Timothy in his letter of encouragement, was that he should “entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2). That’s a good recipe for success, and thus for encouragement even in the midst of discouraging times.

I have been greatly encouraged recently, as I see fruit being born along those lines. Atison came to Vila from Malekula Island a few years ago. His uncle, Flexon, studied with him originally and he was baptized into Christ, but as “life” got in the way their studies eventually subsided. Now that we are based in Vila again, he and I have been meeting together on Friday evenings to study. Unbeknownst to me, almost since the beginning he has been sharing the things he was learning with an interested co-worker during their lunch break. When another coworker overheard them, he asked Atison to begin going through studies with him as well. It has been really neat to his excitement with learning, applying and sharing God’s word. 

Furthermore, Atison is the oldest member of the youth group meetings being held in Etas Village, and so I asked him if he would be willing to begin leading the teaching portion of those meetings. He and I study through a portion of an 11-point outline of the story of the Bible during our Friday times together, and then he is presenting one of those points to the youth group each week. Lord willing, over the next 11 weeks, he will have prepared and presented the material to 12-15 young people, and all of them will have a good foundation for understanding what God has done and is doing in His creation, as communicated in the Bible. We pray that the chain will not be broken with them, but that they will all in turn begin sharing this knowledge with others as well, eventually reaching more people than we foreign-missionaries ever could! Please join us in those prayers.

Atison teaching at Etas youth group meeting