June 22

Persecution

It is time for a Change

“Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NASB)

God has truly shown us that He is working among the Herero (hah-
RARE-roh) people. It was getting late in the day, and I was wondering
if we really had time to make another stop in Talismannis (TAL-iss-
MAN-iss) before heading back to where we were going to spend the
evening. We were deep in the bush, two hours from our destination,
knowing that it was not safe to be traveling on these roads after dark
due to the many animals that graze by the side of the road at night.

Just out of Reitfontain (REET-fon-tain), we saw a woman and a
child hitchhiking. We knew the woman was Herero because she was
wearing the traditional Herero dress with the headdress fashioned into
what resembles cattle horns. We picked her up and found out she was
traveling to her home in Talismannis. Since we had a captive audience, I
started to present the gospel through my interpreter on this trip.
We arrived in Talismannis before finishing the gospel presentation,
and to our surprise, the woman invited us to her house to finish presenting
the gospel. “If I [become a Christian],” she said, “then I will
lose many friends, and things will be different around here.” Then she
added, “It is time for a change around here.”

We were exuberant as she put her faith in Jesus. We returned to
where we were staying for the evening before nightfall, not having to
worry about the danger of encountering unseen animals in the road.

—Marving, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa

Father, for those who sacrifice relationships with others to follow You, I pray
that You will give them grace. Bring the gospel to the Herero people in Namibia,
and bring Your messengers to share this good news. Lord, enable me to value my
relationship with You above all others. Amen.

Next day