Elderly Lady Gets Saved
Recently while out soul-winning, Bill and I met an elderly lady. We had greeted her with the respectful, "Shikamoo." She was thrilled to hear the "wazungu" or "white people" speaking her language of Swahili, as well as our proper greeting. We sat down on some small wooden stools brought out for the visitors. We began to share with her what the Bible says about salvation. It was at that point that we realized her Swahili wasn't very good and there was a need for her to hear it in her mother tongue of Kisakuma. Of course the Lord was not taken by surprise that salvation would come to this woman, on that particular day. He provided a Christian lady from another village. As Bill shared the gospel, this lady was able to translate it. It was quite the scene with Bill speaking in Swahili and then this woman translating into Kisakuma! My job was to keep praying that nothing would be lost in the translation, and that this woman would fully understand her need for salvation. I cannot explain the joy of seeing the understanding on her face, and hearing her half Swahili, half Kisakuma prayer! It was afterwards that we learned not only was the translator visiting, but so was this elderly woman.
What if we had not gone out soul-winning that day? What if we had passed this lady with only a greeting? There are not many women over the age of 50 here. This woman was in her 70's. I can't help but wonder if she isn't now in heaven with her Savior. This is why we are here in Tanzania. To tell people the good news of the gospel before it is too late. Why has God placed you where you are? Is there someone on your street that needs to hear how they can go to heaven before it is eternally too late? God has called us to be faithful where He has placed us. For us it is in Tanzania. Wherever He has placed you, be faithful!