Last night I found out that God and God alone orchestrated a series of events that is allowing me the privilege and honor to be able to go to Cameroon in Mid-December to witness a New Testament dedication for the Nooni people of Cameroon.
Below is the majority of an email I sent to my family last night after I was notified that God was opening a wide open door for me to go...it is kind of long, but it is really exciting to share.
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Later in the Summer of 2011 and Fall of 2011
Well, to make a long story of God’s faithfulness a little
shorter, the Danforth’s chose
to come to Faith Bible Church and decided to be involved in the same growth group that we were
a part of.
A Little About the Danforth’s
The Danforth
family (Sam, Anna, Elaina, & Sawyer) are here in Spokane working at Moody Aviation for the next year (or
so) getting all the remaining technical/mechanical training necessary before
they head to Cameroon to serve with JAARS
(Mission Aviation part of Wycliffe Bible Translators) in support of Bible
translators reaching people groups in Cameroon. They are a wonderful couple,
have two kids around Ezra’s age, and we have been richly blessed by them in
many ways in the months they have been in Spokane.
Anna grew up in Cameroon, and Sam in the Democratic Republicof Congo with their parents serving as missionaries in Cameroon and Congo.
Anna’s parents have been working on translating the New
Testament into the Nooni language.
Back around the first past of October (5 weeks ago), I asked
Sam and Anna to spend some time at our growth group sharing about Cameroon, the
people, their story, and the upcoming New Testament dedication that is this
coming December. This December, after 20 years of translation, the New
Testament dedication that Anna’s parents have given their lives to is
occurring.
After they shared about the upcoming dedication in December
2011, I silently, but very specifically prayed;
“Lord, I would LOVE to go
to Cameroon to witness this celebration of Your Scriptures being translated into the Nooni language. I know we don’t have the financial resources
for this right now, so you’d have to work that out among other things.”
The Lord really confirmed in my heart not to mention this to anyone but Him, even Heidi, wanting to be sure if it did work out it would be wrought of God (seeing that
I had told no one and given NO hints to anyone).
I didn’t question that the Lord could answer this prayer, I
just wondered if He really did want me to go on this trip to Africa in
mid-December.
After that prayer back in early October, I didn’t think too much
more about it…thinking it was too late for anything to potentially happen.
Last Night– November 8th 2011
We get home from our growth group at the Danforth’s house
and I get a text message from Sam: ‘Hey, a donor said your trip would be completely covered to go to the New Testament dedication in Cameroon!!! Would you consider going?’
(I only spoke to the King Jesus about this, no one else.)
(I only spoke to the King Jesus about this, no one else.)
My response after I recovered from the shock of reading the
text: “Yes’…but…you might
need to explain a little more about this!”
So, I called them at 10 pm and we talked about the specifics and Heidi and I learned that Sam and Anna have been
praying for two months about me going to the dedication and the Lord has provided! Praying a whole month
before I began praying, and God provided someone to make the trip financially possible. Awesome.
I got off the phone, Heidi and I talked and saw this clearly
as something the Lord wants me to do. I wept in thankfulness for the Lord’s goodness
in providing so lavishly on us.
What a picture of the wonder of the gift of the Gospel. Receiving what I do not deserve. I don't deserve the privilege, the honor, the joy of being a part of this celebration in Cameroon...nor do I deserve the immeasurable greatness of the love of God in Christ Jesus, who when I was a rebel, a murderer, adulterer, thief, hater of God, He lavished His profound mercy on me and declared me righteous, forgiven, child of the King of Kings!
What a picture of the wonder of the gift of the Gospel. Receiving what I do not deserve. I don't deserve the privilege, the honor, the joy of being a part of this celebration in Cameroon...nor do I deserve the immeasurable greatness of the love of God in Christ Jesus, who when I was a rebel, a murderer, adulterer, thief, hater of God, He lavished His profound mercy on me and declared me righteous, forgiven, child of the King of Kings!
So, I will be leaving on the 15th of December and
returning on the 26th. Yes, I’ll be gone on Christmas day…but we’ll
be able to have a great Christmas on the 26th when I return home.
Heidi and I talked and though I’ll be gone on Christmas Day,
this is just a wonderful occasion to see, take part in, and commemorate the
Word of the Living God into a language that hasn’t had it before! What a
gracious gift that the Lord is allowing me to be present at such a monumental
occasion.
Just thought I’d share a story of answered prayer!
Several months ago I saw the video below and it makes you so appreciate having the Scriptures in your language. I don't know if the celebration will be similar to the one below, but it is pretty awesome nevertheless.
This video is of the Kimyal Tribe in West Papau, Indonesia receiving the Word of God into their language.
