A Gentle Rebuke from Africa

I've returned from lovely Camp AuSable where I spent a few days pondering on what it means to have faith.

Last January Paul Ratsara, division president for South Africa-Indian Ocean, met with us and shared the faith principles being used in his division. He told us about one remarkable young man of faith and prayer -- Reginald Sibanda, a 29-year-old pastor in Zimbabwe. This retreat Reginald came to speak to us.

I’m still looking for words to describe the impact his messages and stories had on me.

At the age of 17 Reggie committed his life to Christ. He made the Bible his study and began a habit he has maintained since – waking at 2 am to pray until 6 am. He began preaching evangelistic meetings every night of the week for three years while running a brick business during the day. God blessed him tremendously and he in turn used much of the US $20,000 dollars a month he made to support evangelism, church building projects, and sponsor others to camp meeting and youth events. He left this business, however, to become a humble janitor in the conference office because he was reminded of Psalm 84:10, "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Sometime later when age 26, he was asked to pastor the hardest district in Zimbabwe -- one no pastor wanted. The last pastor had been run out of the district. It covers a territory 500 km wide with only 9 churches and a total membership of 273. There had not been a baptism in this district in 23 years! Implementing principles of faith and prayer he had already developed in his life, he began to work. The membership was unwilling at first, but with much prayer a change took place and they began doing small groups, house to house visitation, and giving of Bible studies. Within a year they had baptized 3000 new members. These members were also trained to do missionary work and today two years later there are 172 churches in his district with a membership of 21,408!! They expect to double that membership this fall with area wide evangelsitic meetings.

What is the secret of his success? He said it is nothing we cannot do. He attributes it to three things:

• MUCH PRAYER -- He prays four hours a day, sometimes more. As a result he has seen his prayer list with 850 requests be reduced to 0 because they were all answered!
  
• MUCH FAITH -- He says that when we read the promise of God and believe it, exercising faith, we please God. God answers, "I will give you with pleasure." He not only gives you all you asked for but even more to show you how pleased He is that you exercised faith.
  
• BIBLE & CHRISTIAN SERVICE by EGW-- These are the only books he has used in his ministry. He doesn't have all the resources we have (not even a complete Conflict of the Ages series) but he has lived by the principles contained in these two books.

I thought of all the programs, training materials, powerpoints, DVDs, and other resources we have but our inability to accomplish that which is the result of only simple means, prayer, and faith. What a rebuke to us! I thought I knew about faith and prayer but I’m afraid I know so little. God had to send a missionary from Africa to teach me what it means to live by faith.

There were other special moments during the retreat -- like time spent with friends. It is great to have another girl Bible worker friend in Diana Santos.

Our cabin of beautiful, single young ladies!!

A special treat as I drove out was seeing this little fawn and its two siblings with its mother. Beautiful!