13 February 2013

Fairford Farm

Last Sunday my church decided to take church to a new location- Fairford Farm. It's a neighboring farm to Chabwino Farm where our church is located. So people walked as far as 8 kilometers to reach this new location and meet with strangers there.

It's rainy season here in Zambia. This year we've gotten more rain than usual and this past week has been one of the rainiest I've seen in my 20 years here in Zambia. Rainy season means growing season for Zambians in the rural areas. Even the employees on large farms keep a small field of maize during the rains in addition to their regular jobs. For example Pastor Muchinga is the head butcher at Chabwino farm, but he along with his wife and children have a one acre maize field. Employees working for large farms work 6 days a week making Sunday their only day off and in rainy season they have to use that day to care for their fields.

I had never been to Fairford Farm before Sunday. All I knew about it was that there were no churches on the farm and ours was the closest being only about 3 kilometers away. We pulled up to find a large area of dirt that had been swept clean of all leaves, sticks, etc by Pastor Kaomba who had arrived early to get things ready. The entire pastoral staff including myself had been fasting and praying for this meeting and hoping not to be rained out as the dark clouds lurked above us. As we began singing the people began to trickle in. They kept coming until we numbered more than one hundred people.

As the service began so did the rains. Thankfully it wasn't hard rains just a steady constant drizzle but enough to make you wet and cold. I looked out at all the people sitting on the dirt ground and wondered if they would retreat to their homes to avoid the rain. To my amazement the people refused to leave. They found umbrellas and huddled together to try to avoid getting soaked, but no one left. I could see how hungry they were for the things of God in their eyes. It was obvious how much they were enjoying the opportunity to worship together.

After the service was over people came up to us one by one and thanked us profusely for coming and giving them the opportunity to go to church. They begged us to not forget about them. Their words hit me straight in the heart. There are so many places in rural Africa were there are no churches. I was amazed by their excitement and hunger for church as it should be. Not a building, we were after all meeting outside in the rain, but a community of people who can worship and grow together while supporting one another.

As soon as we started off in the vehicle to return home it began to down pour. If the downpour had come earlier I doubt anyone would have even been able to hear what was going on even if they had decided to stay. God's grace, faithfulness, and timing are more wonderful than words can describe.

We've invited everyone at Fairford Farm to take the walk and meet at our church on Sunday mornings. It will be a sacrifice for any who choose to do so since it will be giving up half of their only day off when their fields are crying out for cultivation, but I know many will make that sacrifice because they understand the parable of the pearl of great price.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

His beauty, poise and charm; His elegance, refinement, style and perseverance for His lovers is also not describable in any expression of ours.

We can assemble in is His light and His own only.- S

Anonymous said...

God does not... give people positions or jobs or... good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves.. God does not build cities or towns or nations, or homes, or farms or factories; men and people do that and all those who want must work for themselves and pray to God to give them strength to do it... -
I believe in what is said above by Marcus Garvey

As for what you rightly said – “There are so many places in rural Africa were there are no churches. I was amazed by their excitement and hunger for church as it should be. Not a building, we were after all meeting outside in the rain…”
God’s love, like rain, does not choose the grass on which it falls and any God I ever felt in church, I brought in with me. - S