A year and a half ago, Ryan Amerson and Derek Harden started a men’s Bible study with our partner in Vumilia Village. A group of six men commune on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6 and on Sunday afternoons to discuss the word of God. Gary Amerson is currently visiting and had the opportunity to attend many of these sessions. He has sent an overwhelmingly beautiful praise report based on his experience. Here is what I saw as I attended the Bible study. A year ago, I remember wondering how these men, who knew almost nothing about the bible or God, would ever mature without someone to disciple them. The questions they asked were refreshingly basic and from the heart but the conclusions they often came to were not scriptural.
On one particular day, the Tony Evans lesson guide the men are following was focused on Fear of God. As the men discussed, the oldest man in the group, Samuel, started to speak. He does not speak English well, but he explained the fear of God perfectly and deeply and in a unique and beautiful Kenyan way. He asked us to turn back about 50 pages in the manual to a lesson they had studied weeks before. He tied in Joshua and how his fear of and obedience to God allowed God to use Joshua in a mighty way. This was better than any sermon I have heard in a long time.I humbly realized how powerfully the Holy Spirit has been at work teaching these men without anyone there to disciple and "train" them.
That man, Samuel, was one of the men on the infamous water committee, which was corrupt and caused grief to the Vumilia community. At dinner one evening, Samuel's wife told us how much change she had seen in him and how he is now a different man and husband than the one she had known for 40 years prior.
God is doing miraculous works through the Holy Spirit in the lives of our friends and family in Africa. The blessings that flow from this Bible study will spill out and touch the lives of the other people in the community. We pray that the Lord brings us more opportunities to do His work so more people can come to know Him. Please continue to pray for Empower Dreams as we do the work the Lord sets before us.
