Unexpected Crisis and Opposition
Unexpected Crisis and Opposition
My bi-Weekly Update
You’re not made in a crisis—you’re revealed. When you squeeze an orange—you get orange juice. When you squeeze a lemon—you get lemon juice. When a human being gets squeezed—you get what is inside—positive or negative. - Jack Kinder
Hello Everyone,
I focused on my experience in Cameroon and Uganda in the last two newsletters. Today while focusing on a few things from DR Congo, I want to share about unexpected crises and opposition we encounter.
On a MAF Uganda plane, we started our journey from Kampala, Uganda, to Bunia, DR Congo. Mission Aviation Fellowship is an international Christian organization whose purpose is to bring help, hope, and healing through aviation to people living in isolation and poverty. Every six minutes, a MAF aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world, transporting people living in remote villages and assisting missions, churches, aid and development agencies, and others working to transform the lives of communities cut off from the outside world. Before this trip, I was not aware of this mission.
Before the plane took off, the pilot asked if a Pastor could pray. Everyone looked at me, and I led the prayer for the first time before a plane took off. It was a unique experience. I was also sitting right behind the pilot. After one hour, we landed at an airfield to pick up a few more passengers and finally landed at a border city airfield. From there, we took a taxi to reach the border and crossed it on foot. Then, we took another taxi to the airfield in the Congo border city to catch the MAF Congo plane to Bunia. A few things to note here is that immigration to Congo was difficult. We had to wait a long time despite having visas and everything. Finally, we were let in. Also, it felt a little strange at the airfield as they did not allow you to take any pictures, and it was not easy.
Finally, we landed at Bunia, and there were more than 25 people to receive us. They gave us a very warm welcome. The time there was great, and I enjoyed every moment. I will write more details in another edition of this Newsletter. Everything cannot be written in one newsletter. We even got an opportunity to meet the governor.
We also saw a large refugee camp where thousands of people were staying. They have come from war zones and had to leave their houses and everything. We saw hundreds of children on the streets looking for food and water. They sleep on the roadside. Below is a picture I took where the boy was pleading for something. Every time I see this picture, I can sense something beyond what I express in words.
All these kids are not on the streets by choice but due to a crisis that arose where they were living at some point in time. I also saw pastors who had to close their churches and now stay in refugee camps.
I met one pastor and had the opportunity to spend time with him. I am leaving out the name and many other details intentionally. He was serving in a church with more than six thousand people. The opposition started against him by inside people and not outside people. They played many games and tricks to get him out of that place. They created a misunderstanding between him and the senior pastor. Some people even wanted to get him killed. Again not outsiders but inside people. It was all unexcepted. He left that place, went to a different place, and started a ministry from zero. Within five years, God used him to establish a church with more than four hundred people, many branch churches, and about twenty pastors serving with him. God brought a beautiful story out of his struggles and challenges.
There are times when we feel like we are becoming a failure or we have lost everything. We should remember that nothing is lost. If we are faithful and realize that we are in the hands of God, a new testimony or story will emerge from our life. We must remain close and faithful to the one who called us. A tree with fruits may face stones. Always remember that unexpected crises or opposition are not breaking news to our God. He knows everything and will start a new chapter that will be more beautiful and powerful.
35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39, CSB)
Health/Personal Update
Thank you for your continued prayers for my complete recovery.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who has not given up but continues to pray for me.
Media Updates
Thriving Talk’s new episodes have been released.
Thriving Talk’s new episodes,
All details are here - https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/.
Video Messages
Full Video
Shorts (less than 1 minute)
Blogs
Focus for the next few weeks.
Prepare for a busy summer ahead.
Some articles worth reading
Children in Congo - They stay on the streets but look at the smile on their faces. No house, no food, no water, and no security. Still, they move on daily with hope. So be thankful today!
