Don't Look Back

I’m really glad for my teammate Andy.  It has been a great privilege to work with him for so many years.  We had worked together to study with separate families in the same village starting a year or so ago.

That village, Yabogawn, called up Andy and said, “We’d like to see you again.  It’s been a while.”  Andy graciously invited me.  

I went although at first I wasn’t feeling great about going.  Have you ever peeled your skin back?  I’m a klutz, so I get little nicks all the time.  For a week or so, depending on how deep it is and how good you take care of it, those spots can cause a lot of pain if you touch them directly.  I was feeling sort of the emotional equivalent of that, because of Do’s death.  I was afraid that they would be really nostalgic or give us a guilt trip for not having been back with them for a long time, and I really didn’t want to have to deal with an emotional conflict like that.

It was none of those things.  It was a simple celebration of our relationship.  They just wanted us to give them some more direction.  Here are a couple of pictures from the worship time we shared.

We did a lot of singing and they asked us each to share a message.  I read to them from the new Children’s Bible.  This thing is amazing.   It’s got full page full color graphical art printed on glossy paper, etc., you know just like the bajilion magazines and children’s books and coffee table books that are filling your children’s bookshelves or your living room or cluttering up your attic.  The difference is that the Dagara have never seen anything like it.  It’s the first ever hardback book printed in Dagara.  

They loved the pictures and the story of Samson (which they had never heard before becuase there is no old testament in their language nor any plans to publish one).  


We pondered whether Samson started to question whether his power really came from God.  I encouraged them to remember that as their lives change for the better in Christ, God is the one who maintains their strength.  We should not rely on ourselves.

I announced that I will be having a seminar soon for those who might feel called to teach literacy in their village or region.  There were two guys who could sort of read.  I had asked if anyone knew how to read.  No one raised their hands, but a couple of people pointed to these guys.  


As we continued discussing this I referred to those guys a couple of times and each time they shook their head as if they were worried I would ask them to read something in front of everyone.  You can see that with so few theological resources at their disposal why they wanted Andy and I to come again and visit them.  Here’s a picture of Andy with one of the two people who can read in Yabogawn.

Next it was Andy’s turn.  He challenged them to not look back at their old life but to keep looking forward to what the next step is.  (Don’t put your hand to the plow and look back - although Andy and I had to admit that we didn’t know the slightest thing about plowing).  


It struck me this morning in thinking about this reunion that the next step is what should be my focus as well.  I will never forget my friend, Do, who died this week.  I will never forget all the different churches that I’ve had the privilege of helping to plant, like Yabogawn, but they are not my focus.  This row I have to hoe with literacy now is on what the Holy Spirit has me focused and I need to keep myself applied to it.

Can you tell the difference between your “old life” and your “new one?”  If so, do you ever feel like going back there? What is God calling you to in your life?  What’s the next step for you?