School was over for the year. That made it possible for us to trek to out-lying areas with the “good news.” It was such a happy time going from village to village telling the Africans that
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosver believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
During the day we visited with the people while at work, and then at night a very large fire was lighted near the tent, around which men, women and children would sit. First they sang hymns; after that they listened to an African Christian man read and speak from God’s Word.
Shimbi, a bright lad about 10 or 12 years of age, either did not know about the evening meeting near his village, or else had a reason for not coming. Once when he had been on a long journey with his father he had heard about the Lord Jesus. He hadn’t forgotten what he heard.
Early the next morning after the meeting around the big camp fire, he came all by himself to say, “I want to believe.”
Wasn’t he a wise lad in God’s eyes? We read “The wise shall inherit glory.” Prov. 3:3535The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. (Proverbs 3:35). Wouldn’t it be a wise act on the part of any girl or boy to believe on the Lord Jesus? “Believe on the Lord Jesus. Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).
To read God’s Word was now Shimbi’s earnest desire. There was no school nearby, nor was there a school bus to take him to the mission about 150 miles away. He would have to walk that long distance, then remain there some months in order to learn to read. To leave home and friends and to live with strange boys and white people would be a different life for him. But now that he was a Christian he set his heart to follow the Lord Jesus. We might add that the Lord Jesus helped him, as He does all who put their trust in Him.
That same afternoon he brought his father to the tent to talk over the school problem. His father’s words were few: “If my son wants to go to school to learn to read and write, that is his affair. I will not hinder him.”
Our caravan moved on to other villages and finally returned to the mission in time to re-open school. You may wonder whether Shimbi ever got to the mission. Yes, he was present the day school opened. He had found some black men traveling the same journey, so walked with them. In school he settled right down to learning. He committed Scripture verses to memory. It wasn’t too long before his desire was fulfilled: he could read God’s Word!
When vacation time came he went back home. Before he left the mission he had said he was going to gather together the village people to tell them something of what he had learned. This he did. But what do you think happened when they heard the gospel? They scattered saying, “Those are just the fables of the white man; we won’t listen to them.” You can be sure he was discouraged. When telling about the incident he hung his head as though he had failed.
But the Lord Jesus had something good in store for him which encouraged his heart and brought true happiness. His older sister visited him while at school. His changed life had made quite an impression upon her. Every morning for a week she came to the house to listen to the reading of God’s Word. This is what she said: “Shimbi has believed and I do not want to be left out.”
Each day she would repeat what she remembered from the day before, showing how attentive and earnest she was. The last morning she was asked what effect the Word of God had upon her. She replied, “I want the Lord Jesus to wash my heart white and clean.” We know He did cleanse her from all sin, for Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18) tells us, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
ML 04/26/1959