I saw this house on Wednesday when I was out on visitation, and decided that I had to take a picture of it. So I brought my camera along with me and took some of these pictures.
This house has an amazing story. I heard the story about two weeks ago. Here is the story: this year we have had a good rain season. The area that this house is located in is very near a river. Some of the people that attend our Bible studies live in this community, and whenever it rains heavily their homes fill with the flood waters and everything they own needs to be removed. Well, about two weeks ago, we had a very strong rain storm. It rained most of the day and almost all night. The river flooded, and the waters kept rising. David, one of the young men that attends our studies, said that on that night he woke up at 3:00 in the morning with 6 inches of water all over his house, and more water pouring in.
On that night this house fall down. A family was sleeping inside, when they felt the waters rushing in their room. They started to hear the roof make noise, and right before the house fell down on their heads, they ran outside.
See, here in Ghana, people build the foundation of buildings very strong, but many times they do not have time our money to build the walls well. Cement here has become very expenses, so when they make the blocks for the walls they will reduce the cement and increase the sand content. That sounds like a good idea if a house is in a dry area, but if a flood comes, that sand is not strong, and though the foundation is strong, the house will still fall down.
Foundation are very important, but they are not the only part of a house. Just because it has a strong foundation does not mean that the house is safe. Ask these people that used to live in this house!
Here is the point. As I was looking at this house, I started to think. Most missionary that I know really try hard to lay a strong foundation for their people. They make sure to preach Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection, as foundation for Christian life. I have no doubt many of them try to build this foundation as deeply as they can. I just wonder if the things that we are using to build the rest of their lives after we lay the foundation, are made of quality materials.
I have learned as a missionary that it is possible to build people up cheaply and quickly, but just because they have a strong foundation, four walls, and a roof, does not mean that they are strong.
No plan is perfect, but I had to ask myself today: How am I building up God's people? As missionaries do we build our people by money, programs, activities, personality...
Or do we see people built by patience, pray, love, preaching, discipleship?
It is very easy to reach Africans, to get them to join something, to seem to follow the missionary and do his bidding, especially if the Africans feels his physically needs will be meet. But, is the blocks of his life strong. Will they stand the test of rain and storms? That is a hard question.
Yes, he or she cares their Bible to church, sings the song, and talks a good talk. But, what will they do when their child is sick unto death, or when they are in their home village for a funeral, or when the family calls them to go overseas to Europe? Will they seek the church to pray or will they go to the Fetish priest at night, like many 'christians'. Will they pour libations to the god's and ancestor, with the family, or take a stand for the Almighty God! Will they move to Europe and have no church and drift, or will they seek God's will, and go where He wants them to go! These are some of times that a missionaries will see how strong his people have been built.
Most people here do not buy pre-made blocks to build houses. Most of the pre-made blocks are just sand with a little bite of cement. If a person here wants strong blocks, they have to make them themselves, and after they are made they have to sit in the sun for quite a while. The hot sun will bake the bricks and help to harden them. Also after a few rains the person that wants to use the bricks will know if the bricks are strong or not. Once they are strong then they will build with them.
Basically it is the same way with people. Paul says in the Bible "Lay hands on no man suddenly!" This is Bible and good advise. Take every person as far as they can go, but do not built with them to quickly. Many new Christians need time to firm up. I hope that God helps me to be patient enough with His church, so that I will allow Him to build at His speed. If we will let Him build at His pace and in His way, then the foundation and blocks of His church and the lives of His people will be strong.
These last three pictures are just a couple of fun photos from our house.
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