I received a disturbing message last night from Brother Harold who just had two very tired and hungry girls (“J” and “C”) in their early teens show up at his home around 7pm. They had walked around 45 miles – starting at 3am – apparently because there was no food in the village and they were afraid of dying of starvation.
We set out this morning to take them home, and I was glad that I had been able to buy about half a tonne of maize earlier in the week as I would be able to leave a bag at each of their homes to relieve the immediate hunger.
[peg-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8HiMgY_7kQ8/VtHepOrMRgI/AAAAAAAEF08/oHjCvHxHw34/s144-o/DSC_0887.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/114002166528978549944/20160227?authkey=jf1iDchr9KE#6256026157289588226″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”DSC_0887.JPG” image_size=”3840×2160″ ]It was a disheartening journey, for although we have had a little rain in the Zomba area in the past week, the further we travelled the more bleak the situation became. It is evident that, due to very poor rainfall, the maize in many villages is already beyond hope, and many people will be facing a serious food crisis in the year ahead.However, there was a still more disheartening surprise awaiting us. When we eventually found the girls’ village it was clear that things were not as they had described them. Although a very plausible story, rather than being destitute, it was clear these girls were actually much better off than many of their peers – one had a relative with a good job in the army, and another just lately arrived from America! The truth was even more depressing than the story they had told – these two comparatively well-cared for girls had set of for the “bright lights” of the city, hoping to make a “living” in prostitution!
What to say in such a situation? My mind went to Luke 15. Speaking to the girls I warned them that their actions had been very foolish, and potentially disastrous for them. I told them they should thank God for preserving them from evil men who would have done them great harm, bringing them instead to Brother Harold. Speaking to the family, I reminded them of the love and forgiveness the father had shown to the prodigal when he returned, and exhorted them to receive and help J & C to avoid the kind of life they had almost entered upon. And to all, I spoke of the fact that the story is a very vivid picture of the great distance between us and God because of our sin and rebellion, and of the great forgiveness and welcome to be found through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please pray for these two young girls – that they will be preserved from a life of folly, and that the Gospel tracts we left with them and their families will be used to the salvation of their souls.
On[peg-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3_KrFoNoToQ/VtHeYyb793I/AAAAAAAEF08/EvbLZZB3gJE/s144-o/DSC_0885.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/114002166528978549944/20160227?authkey=jf1iDchr9KE#6256025874831505266″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”DSC_0885.JPG” image_size=”3840×2160″ peg_img_align=”right” ] a much more positive note, it was a joy to meet Mr Saidi again and to replenish his stock of tracts. He had finished distributing the 2500 tracts we had given him a few days ago, and was delighted to receive a further 10,000 for use in that remote area! Pray that God will richly bless His Word.