Search this site
IRONSTRIKES
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Beliefs
  • Formation
  • For Women
  • Meetings & Events

The cow that arranged a meeting

10/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Nestor Wilondja was lost in thought as he drove out of Swartdam, South Africa. As an EHC Mobile Training Coordinator, Nestor had visited this rural community to train local churches to evangelize their neighbors and disciple new believers. He was filled with thankfulness for those he had met who were eager to change their communities with Jesus’ love, and he was excited to see how God would move through them in their upcoming outreaches.

Cows, goats and chickens could be seen milling about outside several homes as Nestor pulled his Fortuner SUV onto the road. He knew that these animals represented the livelihood of their owners. People in Swartdam rely on their livestock to provide milk, eggs, meat — and, most importantly, income.

Such income is vital to many families. The homes Nestor drove past were little more than shacks. Built of corrugated iron on bare ground, strong winds and rain would be enough to knock them down. Swartdam is a poor community made up primarily of black Africans, who are still a marginalized group in South Africa. Many in Swartdam are uneducated and unskilled, and 43 percent of the population is unemployed. Crime is a major problem, as well as HIV/AIDS.

These social factors are further aggravated by the negative portrayal of Christians in the media. Unfortunately, when many in Swartdam think of Christianity, they think only of the prosperity gospel. Preachers on the TV and the radio never urge their followers to help and serve the community; they only ask for people’s money. This impression creates a wall of mistrust between our workers and the families they strive to reach. Trust must be earned before the true Gospel can be shared.

A figure rushed onto the road ahead, jarring Nestor from his thoughts. The man was waving his arms and signaling for Nestor to stop his SUV. Wondering what this man could need, Nestor pulled over and leapt from his vehicle. The man was a farm manager, and he led Nestor away from the road and into a nearby field. The scene that Nestor found there told him everything in an instant.

Surrounding an enormous mud puddle next to a drying creek were several men and a pickup truck — and in the middle of the mud was a scared, exhausted cow. The animal had sunk more than halfway into the wet, sticky mess so that only its head and back could still be seen. The men had tied one end of a rope around the cow’s middle and the other end to the truck, but they clearly hadn’t made any progress in their efforts to pull it free. The pitiful creature mooed weakly.

An observer who didn’t know better might have found the scenario funny, but there were no smiling faces in the group that met Nestor. He could guess what they were all thinking. The farm manager was likely wondering what he would tell the farm owner if they were unable to free his cow. If the cow was not rescued from the mud, it would die there — and that would be a tremendous loss for the farm. The other workers were likely wondering how this problem would affect their families. If the cow was lost, the farmer might not be able to pay them. Had they worked hard that day in the African heat only to return home empty-handed? The situation was bleak.

Nestor quickly returned to his SUV and drove it into the field next to the farm manager’s truck. The men helped Nestor tie his vehicle to the cow, and then both drivers got behind their wheels. Saying a short prayer, Nestor gently gave the vehicle some gas and looked in his rearview mirror.

To everyone’s delight, the cow began to rise out of the mud. The combined power of the truck and the SUV was enough to make the difference. The farm workers cheered as the vehicles pulled the cow free and dragged it away from the mud. The fatigued animal lay helplessly on its side, too weak to move, but finally free.

The farm manager and workers gathered around Nestor to thank him for his help, but Nestor knew he could still help them in a more important way. He took the opportunity to share the Gospel and told the farm workers how much Jesus loves them.

To Nestor’s joy, the farm manager and four of the other workers gave their lives to Jesus.

The farm manager said he had never believed in the Jesus he heard about from the prosperity preachers in the media — but he does believe in the Jesus Nestor follows. Nestor didn’t just speak about Jesus; he showed Jesus through his actions. His willingness to serve strangers in need was a testimony of God’s love for them.

The farm manager offered to lend his pickup truck to the families of the four other new believers so they could go to church. Now, they all ride together to worship with the nearby Rock of Ages congregation each week.

Antonie Boshoff, the National Director of Every Home for Christ South Africa, often reminds his teams that, as they preach the Gospel, they should also live it out each day.

“Actions speak louder than words,” he says. “People in the world do not read their Bibles, but they read you as a child of God.”

This blog post is from Every Home for Christ.  To find the original post, go to:  www.ehc.org/blog/stuck-in-the-mud



0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Rules for commenting:

    1.  Be respectful  
    2.  Refer to rule #1

    All comments may not be approved.

    Note that many identifying details about individuals in these posts are not accurate.  Their identity is protected, except for those individuals who are being honored or are public figures.

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Categories

    All
    Abortion
    Abraham
    Abstinence
    Abuse
    Accountability
    Adam
    Adam Yauch
    Addictions
    Admiration
    Adultery
    Affair
    Amos
    Angels
    Anger
    Anniversary
    Anoint
    Anonymous
    Anxiety
    Atheism
    Avoidant
    Bad Boy
    Battle
    Beastie Boys
    Beautiful
    Bestiality
    Betrayal
    Bird
    Blame
    Bobby Petrino
    Bondage
    Book Review
    Brian Head Welch
    Brothel
    B.T. Roberts
    Camping
    Cancer
    Challenge
    Change
    Chaotic
    Character
    Children
    Choice
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Camp
    Closed Door
    Compulsions
    Confession
    Confident
    Control
    Courage
    Covenant
    Creator
    Crown
    Crucifixion
    Darkness
    Death
    Deception
    Decision
    Demons
    Depression
    Detachment
    Devotions
    Dez Bryant
    Differences
    Dilemma
    Dirty
    Discipleship
    Disgusting
    Divorce
    Domestic Violence
    Domination
    Doubt
    Dreams
    Dr Hart8bb80a7b00
    Dwayne Allen
    Dysfunction
    Easter
    Eden
    Ego
    Eleazar
    Elitism
    Empty
    Envy
    Ephesians
    Equality
    Erectile Dysfunction
    Esau
    Eternity
    Euthanasia
    Evil
    Exhibitionism
    Eyes
    Facebook
    Faithfulness
    Fantasy
    Fasting
    Father
    Favorites
    Fear
    Fellatio
    Fighting
    Fishing
    Flashing
    Flattery
    Flesh
    Force
    Forgiveness
    Gentleman
    Girls Gone Wild
    G.K. Chesteron
    Goals
    God
    Good Friday
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Greek
    Guard
    Guilt
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hell
    Henri Nouwen
    Histrionic
    Hogging
    Holiness
    Hollow
    Honesty
    Honor
    Hope
    Humility
    Humor
    Ichabod
    Idols
    Impurity
    Individuality
    Input
    Insane Clown Posse
    Integrity
    Intent
    Intimacy
    Isaac
    Islam
    Jack Schaap
    Jamaica
    Jealousy
    Jimmy Needham
    Job
    Joy
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Judgmentalism
    Justice
    Kindness
    King David
    Kittens
    Komboloib7e292a311
    Korn
    Larry Norman
    Leave It To Beaver
    Lies
    Light
    Listening
    Loneliness
    Love
    Lust
    Lying
    Macho
    Manners
    Marriage
    Masculinity
    Masturbation
    Maturity
    Mca
    Meditation
    Messianic
    Meticulous
    Mighty
    Missions
    Money
    Monogamy
    Moses
    Motivations
    Movies
    Music
    Normal
    Obedience
    Obscenity
    Open Door
    Parenting
    Passiveaggressive2ed940c88b
    Pastor
    Path
    Perfection
    Personality Disorders
    P.O.D.
    Politics
    Pornography
    Pornograpy
    Power
    Practical
    Prayer
    Predator
    Prejudice
    Premature Ejaculaton
    Preparation
    Pride
    Problems
    Promises
    Protection
    Providence
    Purity
    Quechua
    Quiz
    Racism
    Regret
    Religious
    Repentance
    Reputation
    Research
    Respect
    Responsibility
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Righteousness
    Robots
    Roughhousing
    Routine
    Rules
    Rut
    Sabbath
    Sacrifice
    Sadism
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Satisfaction
    Selfishness
    Self Love
    Self-love
    Service
    Sex
    Sexism
    Sexuality
    Sexual Response
    Sexual Response
    Shame
    Sin
    Singing
    Snobbery
    Soldier
    Sovereignty
    Stalking
    Stephen Hawking
    Step-parenting
    Strong
    Success
    Succubus
    Suicide
    Swearing
    Sword
    Teenagers
    Temper
    Temptation
    Tenth Ave North
    Testing
    Theology
    Thinking
    Thomas Cogswell Upham
    Tim Tebow
    Tournament Male
    Tradition
    Trafficking
    Trapped
    Trauma
    Triggers
    Trust
    Truth
    U2
    Uncle Buddy
    Unity
    Violence
    Virtue
    Vulnerability
    Warrior
    Watchman Nee
    Waywardness
    What Is A Man
    Women
    Worry
    Worship
    Wussification
    Year In Review
    Zombies

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

IRONSTRIKES

Men Forging Men