Would you die for me please?

I met these kids four years ago while I was working with a mobile medical clinic in a remote area of Tanzania. I was 20,000 miles from home because God had sent me there for three reasons; to keep babies alive, to share the message of Jesus, and to show me that He himself had gone to the end of time for me.

My work in Africa is very personal;
My first trip I had learned that babies and children die because when they are sick and contract the mortality rate is huge. A three dollar net can help cut this down. My wife and I had lost our son in childbirth three days after seminary. It was a no-brainier...I would give my life so that mom's and dad's would not suffer what we had.

I have also been given a passion to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ...the real Good News: God loves you to the point of offering up his own life. In Him is hope, joy and power even in the midst of hell. Following him is a sacrificial life but it is full beyond words.

Lastly, God wanted to show me the distant he traveled and what he endured to get back his beloved children.

These three boys were Muslim but if you look around the next of the one in the middle he is wearing a charm given to him by the local witch doctor. This is very common. If praying doesn't work try something else. They were by my side all day long and before I left we shared an orange and I sat and told them of the God who traveled farther than I did to see them, and spent more money than I had. I told them his name was Jesus, and that he had come to free his people from death, and pain and bring them a full abundant life. I told them he was killed so that his children would not.

I gave them crosses to remind them of the story. They were elated but began muttering. My friend who was interpreting for me told them that they would be beaten for having the cross. I asked if they wanted to give them back, they said no.  They would be beaten.

Do you see? Jesus was beaten so that we would not?

Will you give up control of your life for the God who gave up his life for you?

 “But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I’m completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won’t be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God."

Acts 20:22-24