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I am leaving for Africa soon. It’s what I do! I’ll be leading three teams of really excited and envisioned people.

A few days ago I was talking with a pastor friend and he recounted to me a very disheartening email he had received from a member of his church.

This pastor has been to Africa with me several times in the last couple of years and as a result, his world; his family; his relationship to God has been “rocked” because of his experience there. Everything has changed for him, to the point that he speaks frequently in his faith community of Africa and the children of Africa and what God is doing in Africa and of how he thinks God wants to use the church in this county to engage in the battle for the soul of Africa. That is why he received the disheartening email.

 You see, up until a decade ago the battle for Africa was primarily between capitalism and socialist communism. It was a battle of political power and placement for the purpose of wealth and resources. History teaches us that, unfortunately, the church was caught up in some of this politicizing and power playing which has left the African continent and governments in the shape it is in today.

Some of that continues today in many ways but the in other important ways the battle has shifted to a more overtly spiritual battle. Some think it has become a cosmic struggle between Christianity and Islam and other forms of new age isms. Some prominent political leaders in Africa would like to see a Pan African Continent flying the banner of Islam for all nations. In Uganda last year I was made aware of this fact every morning as I heard the Imams (Islamic leaders) calling their adherents to prayer at 6:00 am, over louder speakers that reverberated throughout the city where I was staying. This call to prayer was in itself a prayer that lasted for almost 30 minutes. I have experienced this in several African countries.

 Regardless what you think about this practice, (I personally took it as a challenge and reminder to pray for Muslims during this 30 minute period every day) the fact is: these people are serious about influencing the continent of Africa by their faith and way of life. My thought and question today for us is; “Who are the ones most influenced by all these forces and what are we doing to make a difference for them?”

 In that same city we have a home for children who were born to parents with AIDS. The parents eventually died, but as a result of their illness the children were born HIV positive and now are kept alive by the loving care of our project coordinators who daily administrate vitamins, anti retro-viral drugs and healthy doses of love in the name of Jesus. That’s what we do! Yes, we are taking care of deserving orphan children but just as importantly we are influencing a nation of children who might otherwise be taken captive by one of the many isms that exist on that continent.

So, you can imagine my shock and dismay when my pastor friend told me he had received and email in which a parishioner told him, “If I hear one more sermon about Africa, I am going to vomit.”

I wonder what this person would think if he awoke to the sounds of Imams calling him to prayer at 6:00 am every morning.   

 Just a thought

Stay well and

Dance with God

douge

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