A Thirst that can be Satisfied

“Muzungu! Muzungu! Muzungu!” These are the shouts I (Bekah) would hear every week as I was swarmed by a group of kids chasing my boda on the way into Bible study. For the past year, I have been teaching an evangelistic Bible study in a neighboring village. As I teach, the children always peer around trees staring at me and when I wave to say hello, they run away laughing, only to come back a few minutes later.

A few weeks ago as I was teaching, I looked around at all the kids’ faces. I thought about how it’s too far for them to walk to Kubamitwe for church, VBS, or any other events we have (it’s over an hour walk). Then it hit me. This was a project for Compassion in Action. A Kids’ Bible Club is exactly what this unreached village needs. I rushed home that night to tell the gang, and everyone was excited.

Last week, Elisa, Ethan, and I hopped on our bikes to make the trek to this village. We wanted to find a central location to hold our Bible study. As we rode in on the dusty, bumpy road a large group of Muslims, both kids and adults, were exiting the mosque. This village is 90% Muslim and as we looked around at the people leaving the mosque, we saw more than just a poverty stricken village, but a place in desperate need of Christ. There is no church or opportunity for these people to hear the gospel. One great way to reach a community—through the children.

As we were returning from our journey with the sun scorching down on us, Ethan begged us to stop for water. Reluctantly, we stopped at a local shop to look for something to drink.  To the right, I saw a man and woman reading the Koran and beckoned Elisa to look. “Let’s go talk to him”, she said and without hesitation Elisa (the fluent one in the group) was sharing the gospel. She asked him what the Koran teaches about how one gets to heaven and his response was that all one needed to do was tell God he was sorry. After sharing with him about man’s desperate situation and the need for someone to pay the penalty for our sin, the man refused to believe we needed an advocate on our behalf and refused to believe that Jesus Christ was more than just a good man. After 45 minutes, Elisa concluded the conversation saying she would be praying for him, as he would have to pay his own punishment for sin. His reply, “Okay, I’ll pay it.” As our physical thirst was satisfied, we were reminded that there is a much greater thirst that needs to be satisfied for this man and for this village. As Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall become in a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

On Sunday, Emma, Elisa, Kabite, Evan, and I (Ethan was home with a fever) launched the Bible study. We weren’t sure who would show up since many told us they wouldn’t  come because: they were Muslim, they had work to do, or just didn’t want to come. But our God showed us His kindness. 47 kids showed up. We played games, handed out candy, and taught them a song to get them excited about our Bible club. At the end of the day, we told them that ultimately we are coming to do more than just have fun, to do more than just play games, to do more than just give them candy, but to teach them about the most important person, Jesus Christ.

Pray with us that these kids would come to know the love of Christ.  Pray with us for this lost, Muslim populated village. Please pray that the devout Muslims won’t stop our efforts or persecute the children coming. Pray that they would drink the water of eternal life and truly thirst no more.

Check out our updated photo gallery to see pictures!

Check out our updated photo gallery to see pictures!