Hallelujah for baby steps

I know we’ve been “off the grid” for a few weeks blog-wise, and we appreciate your patience.  With this entry, we should be back on track for once-a-week posts.

I received two phone calls from Malekula yesterday, independent of one another, both of which were very encouraging to a missionary’s heart.

The first was from Alsen.  We had a few unimportant things to talk about, and then he gave me the pleasant surprise of letting me know that he had decided to continue the Sunday kids’ Bible club, which we had started during our first term in the village (I had been leading it while we were there).  Alsen said that he wanted to continue it while we were gone, so that the children wouldn’t forget the songs and facts they’d learned so far. He said that he had continued teaching these young children the books of the Bible, having now completed the Old Testament (we were through Song of Solomon when I left).  I was so excited!  Before we returned to Vila, I had gone back and forth in mind on whether or not I should ask one of the locals to take the lead in this effort while I was absent.  Instead I decided I would just stay silent and see what happened.  I figured the best case scenario was that someone would try to maintain what I had taught, but Alsen went beyond that and taught them new information.

The second was from Jean Claude.  He actually called to discuss the ship schedule, as we are trying to send several things ahead of us for our upcoming time in Malekula.  We then talked about how things were going with the local church.  He said that during the previous night’s prayer meeting Williamson had requested prayers for the Bible study he had recently set up with his uncle and aunt.  His uncle is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, but had shown interest in the Lord’s church, and so they started visiting.  They then established that they would meet together every Sunday afternoon to talk about and study the Bible.  While I am quite certain that 100% of the Christians in Tulwei Village have talked about their newfound faith to at least a few individuals, this is the first “official” Bible study any of them have set up or conducted.  The fact that a denominational leader is interested is also very exciting (some of you may recall when I was called before the “Presbyterian Session” in December 2009 for baptizing Alsen - same group).

To some, these two instances may seem like baby steps.  If they are, I say “Hallelujah for baby steps!”  We are excited about this and other news that we hear on a regular basis from these brethren, and look forward to being back in Malekula May 3.  While these brethren probably expect me to “take over” these projects when we return, I have every intention of instead becoming their assistant in these efforts.  Please be praying that the work will continue to progress, and that God will be glorified in all that we do.