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The
Power of His Word
What happens when people in the depths
of poverty decide to give to God? Dave Palmer finds out
 t
was last August that it happened. We were in Rwanda again for
the summer holidays, helping Sadiki our Rwandan “Bishop” by going
with him to encourage and teach God’s word to his churches. I
was with Kathy, my wife, and our 9 year-old daughter Helena, on
her third visit to Africa. We were about to experience something
which, I was afterwards told, had never happened before and which
was certainly far beyond all I had ever seen anywhere before.
It was a
Sunday morning. We had all got up early and piled into our hired
car to set off for a place called Matimba, a tiny isolated village
in the north of Rwanda some way off the tarmac road and about
three hours drive from the capital. I was to bring God’s word
to them. As we drew near our destination, Sadiki told me that
Matimba was one of the poorest communities in the country. We
arrived in the sultry heat of midday, and were met by the Pastor
(called Eugčne) just outside the “church”. He greeted us and we
followed him into the building where we could hear the sound of
African singing and drumming. When I sat down and looked around
I could see about 200 people there - men, women and children of
all ages sitting on the mud floor or straw mats (there were no
benches or seats). The ones at the back were sitting under opened
umbrellas and I soon saw why. This church - a structure of wooden
poles and mud based walls - was only partially built! The walls
and roof were only half finished! Although the people were scorched
by the midday sun and were trying to protect themselves under
the umbrellas, they still smiled and sang and cheered to see us.
I was about
to get up to speak, to bring the message I had prepared, but just
at that point I felt very uneasy indeed. The previous day I had
prayed that God would show me what to say specially to them from
the Bible, and I knew then that I was to say that God wanted them
to bring their offerings to him, just like the widow in the Bible
whom Jesus commended when she put a few coins into the treasury.
But could this really be right, I pondered, as I looked around
at these poor yet happy people. Shouldn’t I be giving to them
instead? How can God ask people to give to Him when they have
nothing? Have I made a terrible mistake?
 s
I thought about this, I felt a special kind of peace settle in
my heart which could only have come from God. I went ahead and
preached the Word, telling them that as God’s people, we must
all put God first and give to Him first because that is how we
learn to trust Him and receive from Him.
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The intrepid Palmers
- Dave, Helena & Kathy
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At the end
I sat down, not knowing what to expect. Everything went quiet,
and then Sadiki’s wife, Violette, got up and spoke to them in
the Rwandan language. I discovered that she was backing up the
message and encouraging the people to respond to it.
What happened
next, I could scarcely believe. During the next hour, one by one,
nearly everyone there stood up and made specific pledges to give
to the Lord and His work. There were so many of them that a lady
from the church wrote down every detail of who pledged what and
passed the inventory to the pastor. Though few of them had any
money, they gave sacrificially from whatever they did have. Everything
from a chicken to a suit of clothes for the pastor, a dozen eggs,
a cow (the man’s livelihood!), a dress, others pledged to pay
for benches, or to make the windows for the church, to buy roofing
sheets. One after another, often with tears of joy in their eyes,
they pledged to give to God. I too could not keep back the tears
to see such devotion. We all felt so humble as we realised what
was happening. It was far beyond what I had expected!
Sadiki said
it was a miracle. Such a response had never happened before in
Rwanda. Instead of waiting to receive from others, these people
were willing to give so sacrificially the little they had to God.
It made me think “Why does God call us to give to Him before meeting
our own needs or our children’s needs? Isn’t that just crazy?”
The words I had spoken to them were Jesus’ words for his followers:
“Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over will be given back to you”. God
does not need our goods, but He wants our hearts. As we trust
Him in our poverty or need, He is ready to meet us and give us
abundance and new hope...
realised the power that God’s word has to bring such an incredible
response among the people of Matimba. I have also thought since
that day about the people of Tavistock and elsewhere many of whom
have given gladly to support the work Sadiki is doing to bring
reconciliation and new hope in Rwanda. The 330 computers, the
medicines, the work tools, the money into the collecting boxes,
the cheques, the prayers! Money and goods given to the poor is
lending to God, says the Bible.
But does
God really keep his promises? Six months later, I asked Sadiki
what had become of the church in Matimba. He told me (with a sparkle
in his eye) that the church building is not only now finished
but all the people’s needs have been wonderfully met by God. This
poor and isolated little village is experiencing the power of
God in everyday life and is flourishing in a way never known before.
I hope to go back there soon to see for myself!
I have many
times discovered the power of God to fulfil promises in the Bible
when I believe and act upon them. I know that He does reward all
who dare to believe Him…and that promise is for you too who are
reading this!
‘Jesus said
to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never
hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”’ (John
6.35) Yes! It is true today, not just in Rwanda but in Tavistock
too! Try Him and find that God has the love and the power to change
your life too!
Dave
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