The Gospel Plan of Salvation

There are five things that are necessary for one to be saved, namely, hearing the gospel, believing the gospel, repenting of our sins, confessing Christ as the Son of God, and being baptized for the remission of our sins.  By this, the Lord adds us to his church, Acts 2:47.

- Hear the gospel, "[F]aith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Romans 10:17, and, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him," Hebrews 11:6.

- Believe the gospel, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned," Mark 16:16, and, "[T]hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," Romans 10:9-10.

- Repent of our sins, "[U]nless you repent, you will all likewise perish," Luke 13:3, and, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins," Acts 2:38.

- Confess Christ as Lord, "[T]hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," Romans 10:9-10.

- Be baptized,  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned," Mark 16:16, and "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins," Acts 2:38.

The Rich Man's Brothers

Luke writes, “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers--in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’  But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead,’” Luke 16:27-31.

How is it that they would not listen if one went to them from the dead?  If one who you knew to be dead were to come to you, warning you to follow God, would you not be inclined to listen?

The truth is, Abraham is right.  We have several examples where the same situation, the same message, reached or was seen by several or even many, with markedly different results.  It really comes down to the character of each of us.

Let us look at three examples.

First, consider the angels.  Michael and Satan both were in the presence of God, and yet one obeys, while the other rebelled.  And not Satan alone, but others rebelled with him.

Next, we have Moses and Pharaoh.  Both saw the miracles performed, both heard the message of God, but Moses was obedient, while Pharaoh rebelled, and by degrees grew worse.

Lastly, we have the eleven, and Judas.  All of them were close to Jesus, and were even given the power to cast out demons, yet it didn’t profit Judas; he betrayed the Son of God.

Our character is the same whether we are presented with a great or a small lesson.  If we are inclined to listen to the truth, we will recognize and believe it no matter how it comes to us, while if we are not inclined to listen, then like the rich man’s brothers, we will neither listen to Moses and the Prophets, nor the risen dead.

Judas has always puzzled me to a degree.  How could he have seen what he saw, and heard what he heard, and yet betrayed Him?  We are given the answer in John 12:4-6,

“But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?’ Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.”

During the time he was with Jesus, the word never met with belief in his heart, and so did not profit him.  Judas walked alongside God, but was only concerned with earthly gain, to the extent that he stole from God.

It comes down to the character of the hearer, not the delivery method of the lesson.

Are we prepared?

Near my house is the original cemetery for the city I live in, and the graves there date from the 1830’s, I believe.  While I was there one day, I came across the following epitaph:

“Stop travellers, as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I,
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare yourselves to follow me.”

This man, long dead, still speaks to any who happen to wander by and read his tombstone.  He speaks to a condition common to every man, namely, one day we will all be in the grave, and a need common to every man, that we need to be prepared for when that day arrives.  Though the marker doesn’t say what to be prepared for, it is fairly evident what is meant - the need to be prepared to meet our God.

Are we prepared to meet our God?

There are two days in every man’s life which are of supreme importance, two days which surpass all others; the day of our death, and the day of the Lord’s return.  It is certain that one or the other of these will end our days here, and it is equally certain that we are completely in the dark as to when either will occur.  No man knows when he arises in the morning whether he will see his bed that night, and no man knows when he lays down in the evening whether he will see the morning.

Are we prepared to meet our God?

With every day that passes by, we come ever closer to that great and terrible day, the day in which all of mankind will give an account for the deeds we’ve done in this body.  Whether we have done rightly, or we have done wickedly, we will bow before the Lord, we will confess the things we have done, and we will either be set on the right hand, or on the left.  We will either enter eternal life, or we will be cast into hell.

Are we prepared to meet our God?

In the 73rd psalm, Asaph, a godly man, was confronted with a sight he simply couldn’t understand.  He begins,

“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.  But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

Asaph, a man of God, looked upon the violent and wicked, and saw that they had ease of life, that they had no fear of God, indeed, that, “Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish.”  And then he looked at his own life, and said,

“Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.”

Asaph looked upon the ease of the wicked, and the trials that he had to endure when he only tried to live godly, and the thought crossed his mind, “What have I really gained by doing this?”

But he had greater faith than this, for he goes on,

“If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.”

He knew that it was right to follow God no matter what may come, but he couldn’t grasp the inequity of it all, why the wicked prosper, and the godly suffer.  Indeed he says,

“When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me — 
Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.”

“Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.”

What gain is it to me if I obtain the riches of the world, surpassing all who came before, what gain is it to me if I should have fame to the ends of the earth, if I should fulfill every desire of my heart, if I want for nothing and am always at ease…if I’m unprepared to meet my God?

Are we prepared to meet our God?

The Blood of Christ

In the question over baptism, whether it is essential for salvation, or whether a man can be saved without it, what is easily lost is the heart of the matter, the heart of our salvation.  If we understand what it takes to remove sin from a man, it becomes easier to understand how it is that a man is saved.

The heart of the whole matter is that when sin takes place, the only way it can be atoned for, the only way it can be forgiven, is by blood.  A death must take place as an offering for the sin, for the penalty of sin is death, Romans 6:23.

The Law of Moses
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul,” Lev. 17:11.

Under the Law of Moses, when a man sinned, an animal was to be sacrificed to atone for the sin.  The animal that was sacrificed depended upon who it was that sinned.  Whenever the anointed priest sinned, he was to bring a bull as a sacrifice; likewise, if the congregation of Israel was guilty of sin, they were to bring a bull for the offering.  If a ruler sinned, he was to bring a male goat, and if  one of the common people sinned, they were to bring a female goat, or a female lamb (Chapter 4 of Leviticus lays out all the requirements for the sacrifices; here, I am only going to go into the blood aspect of them).

After the offering was killed, the blood was applied differently, again depending upon who the atonement was for.  If it was for the anointed priest, or for the congregation of Israel, the blood of the bull was to be carried into the tabernacle (or, in later times, the temple), and the priest was to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the veil, that is, before the Lord.  Then he was to put some of it on the horns of the altar of incense which was inside the tabernacle; finally, the remainder of the blood was poured out at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which was outside the door of the tabernacle.

If the sacrifice was for the sin of a ruler, or for any of the common people, the blood of the goat was applied to the horns of the altar of the burnt offering, and the remainder was poured out at the base of the same altar.  And, as a result of the offering, there was “atonement for his sin that he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him,” Lev. 4:35 (other requirements had to be fulfilled also, besides the blood aspects).

Now, even though it was said that his sins were forgiven, it was not meant in the sense that they had vanished; only that they were set aside.  This is seen by the yearly Day of Atonement; for even though the individual sins were taken care of in each individual sacrifice, there was still necessity for further atonement.

On this day, the high priest brought the blood of a bull into the Holy Place, as a sin offering for himself and for his house, and the blood of a goat as a sin offering for the people of Israel; he was to sprinkle it on the east side of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.  This was to make atonement for the Holy Place and for all of the people of Israel.  Further, he was to apply the blood of both the bull and the goat to the altar of incense inside the tabernacle, to make atonement for it (The 16th chapter of Leviticus details the full requirements of the Day of Atonement).

These were the blood requirements under the law of Moses; but in the book of Hebrews, we are fully shown the insufficiency of animal sacrifices,

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.  For then would they not have ceased to be offered?  For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.  But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins,” Hebrews 10:1-4.

This being the case, it yet remained for a sufficient sacrifice to take place for the forgiveness of sin.

The Law of Christ
“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption…For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another - He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation,” Hebrews 9:11-12, 24-28.

A sufficient sacrifice has taken place – Christ, our High Priest, has entered the true Most Holy Place, not the earthly copy, with his own blood as an offering for sin, not with the blood of goats and bulls; once, for all time.

Since the sacrifice which truly takes away sin has taken place, it only remains for the man to be washed in the blood of Christ, that he may be cleansed of his sins; for we must be washed in his blood in order to be saved, “To Him who…washed us from our sins in His own blood,” and, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” Rev 1:5, 1 John 1:7.  As it is evident that not every man is saved, there of necessity must be some condition which must be fulfilled, in order for the man to be washed in the blood of Christ.

God has revealed to us what this condition is in the conversion of Paul.  This is Paul’s testimony, as to his salvation,

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.  And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’  So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’  And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 

“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.  So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’  And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’  And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.,” Acts 22:6-11.

It cannot be denied that at this point, Paul had faith in Jesus, that he was Lord; for he calls him Lord.  But was he cleansed of his sins?  He continues,

“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’  And at that same hour I looked up at him.  Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.  For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.  And now why are you waiting?  Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord,’” Acts 22:12-16.

Paul was not cleansed of his sins until he was baptized; therefore, it is in baptism that we are washed in the blood of Christ.  This shows beyond doubt that faith alone cannot save a man; for if a man, not having been washed in the blood of Christ, is still in his sins, how could it be that he is saved, seeing as salvation consists in having our sins removed from us?  As it is written, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned,” Mark 16:16.

This also reveals why it is that when Peter said, “let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38, of necessity he meant that the reason they were to be baptized was so that they could have their sins removed, not because they had already been removed.  For the Scripture says, “without shedding of blood there is no remission,” Hebrews 9:22; the blood of Christ has been shed, but we are not washed in it until we are baptized.  Therefore, our sins cannot be remitted unless we have been baptized, for it is then that we are first washed in his blood.

Those who advocate faith-only know in themselves that faith by itself is not enough to save a man; this they unwittingly admit, for they say you must pray, accepting Jesus as your savior, and then you will be saved.  But in this, they have changed the will of God, “be baptized,” for their own will, “pray the sinner’s prayer.”

The blood of Christ is what cleanses us from our sins, and he has revealed to us when we are first washed in it - in baptism.  And afterwards,

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,”

for,

“…if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:9, 1 John 1:7.

Man & the Animals

Genesis 1:26, 29
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”

“And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”

• The initial account of what man was given to eat; he was vegetarian.
• They were allowed to make clothing out of the animals, for, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them,” Gen 3:21.

Genesis 9:1-5
“So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea.  They are given into your hand.  Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.  I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.  But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.”

• After the flood, man was now able to eat the animals.

Mark 7:17-21
“And when leaving the multitude, He had entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.  And He said to them, ‘Are you so lacking in understanding also?  Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ (Thus He declared all foods clean.)  And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.’”

• Christ declared all foods clean.  This had reference to the fact that under the law of Moses there were animals that the Israelites (it did not apply to the Gentiles) were not allowed to eat.  This prohibition Christ removed.  The only prohibition that still remains is that we may not eat blood, “{B}ut that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood,” Acts 15:20-21.

1 Timothy 4:1-5
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

• Plainly, God created the animals for man to eat, for He Himself says this, as the Spirit is God.
• Any who forbid marriage and the eating of foods has departed from the faith; so says God.
• Further, speaking of false prophets and unprincipled men, Peter says, “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed…” (2 Pet 2:12). The earth and all that is in it was created for man, for his use (does not Christ say, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth”? (Matt 5:5)); the animals are a resource for him to use.

Proverbs 12:10
“A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

• Just because animals are there for the use of man, doesn’t mean we can treat them terribly, or that we can’t love them.
• The example the Lord used to convict David out of his own mouth regarding Bathsheba:

    “Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: ‘There     were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.  But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children.  It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.  And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’
    "So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!  And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity,” 2 Sam 12:1-6.

The animals are also there to instruct us in the ways of life:

• "Four things are small on the earth,
  But they are exceedingly wise:
  The ants are not a strong folk,
  But they prepare their food in the summer;
  The badgers are not mighty folk,
  Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
  The locusts have no king,
  Yet all of them go out in ranks;
  The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
  Yet it is in kings' palaces.”
  Proverbs 30:24-28
• “Go to the ant, you sluggard!
  Consider her ways and be wise,
  Which, having no captain,
  Overseer or ruler,
  Provides her supplies in the summer,
  And gathers her food in the harvest.
  How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
  When will you rise from your sleep?
  A little sleep, a little slumber,
  A little folding of the hands to sleep —
  So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
  And your need like an armed man.”
  Proverbs 6:6-11
• “As a bird hastens to the snare,
  He did not know it would cost his life.”
  Proverbs 7:23

These are just a few examples.

The animals are there for our use, as we have need.  We may eat them, make clothes out of   them, and whatever other rightful uses we may have for them.  We aren’t free to abuse them,  torment them for no cause, etc.  And we may certainly love them.

Be of good cheer!

There are men on the earth who are in a constant struggle against the truth, who are in constant battle to vanquish it.  They do this by ridicule, by persecution, by law, and by death.  They have always been, and will always be, for “What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered,” Ecclesiastes 1:15.

It can be disheartening to see these things taking place (cf. Psalm 73).  There seems to be nothing that can be done to alleviate the situation, and in truth, there isn’t, for “What is crooked cannot be made straight.”  These men destroy what is good on the earth, and bring much trouble on God’s people, and on the world at large; all the while smiling and lying to any and all who listen to them.  And they deceive many men, countless men.

“Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” is what Jesus says to us.  For these same men did the same to him when he was here – they murdered him, for, “they have hated me without cause.”  We should remember to take the eternal view in these matters, for we are victorious in the end, and no matter what trouble reaches us, he holds us in his hands.  As Jesus was raised from the dead, so shall we be.

The thing to understand is this: the victory they win, is to seize that which is destined for destruction.  They seek a victory in the world, but the world has a fixed time in which it will be destroyed.  What eternal prize do they gain when they destroy countless lives, to satisfy and advance their own desire?  For as he says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”  Indeed, they have only gained that which is destined for the fire, and “Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and yea, I will repay.”

Consider the parable of the landowner who let his land out to tenants, Mark 12:1-11.  He sent servants to the tenants, who beat and murdered them.  Then the landowner sent his son, and they murdered him, saying, “Now it’s ours.”  And what does the landowner do?  He takes vengeance on them.  What victory did they gain?

Those who trouble men and the church are of this sort; they may get rid of us, yet God will remove them in the end, while taking us home to eternal life.

Why then should we worry?

Fellowship

What is Christian fellowship?

Nearly always, when speaking of fellowship in the New Testament, the underlying Greek word is ‘koinonia’.  This word means a partnership, or literally, a participation with.  Those who we are in fellowship with, we are in a partnership with.  We have a participation in a common goal.

Who then are we in fellowship with?  How far does it extend, and are there any limits imposed on it?

The two defining passages concerning who our fellowship is with are 1 Corinthians 1:9 and 1 John 1:3-7.  The passage in Corinthians reads, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,” and 1 John 1:3 is like it, “…that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  We are called by the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, and when we respond to it, we are first and foremost brought into fellowship with the Father and the Son, and then also with all who are in the body of Christ.  We are in partnership with all who have put on Christ, who are in partnership with the Father.

There are limiting factors on this fellowship, however.  The passage from John goes on to say, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:5-7.  If we are not walking according to Christ, we are no longer in fellowship with God and the church.  But if we do walk in the light, then we are indeed in fellowship with them.

What then of those who teach a different doctrine concerning Christianity than what Scripture teaches?  Are we in fellowship with those who teach that we are saved initially by praying the sinner’s prayer, for example?  John writes, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds,” 2 John 9-11.  Remember that our fellowship is first and foremost with God; if we are not in fellowship with Him, then there is no fellowship to be had.  Those who do not abide, who do not live, in the doctrine taught by Christ through the writers of the New Testament, who either add or subtract teaching, or put a different meaning on it than what it says (remember the serpent with Eve), these do not have fellowship with God (for how can we say we are in partnership with God, if we teach differently than He does?).  Therefore, not only do we not have fellowship with them (“For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?,” 2 Corinthians 6:14), but we become a participant with evil if we do accept them as brothers in Christ, and join hands with them.

Christian fellowship, being in fellowship with God, is the greatest relationship that we can have.  We are a family in Christ, but we must walk in the light, and teach as he does, in order to be there, and remain there.

Easter

Introduction
Easter is a time that is celebrated by Catholics and most if not all of the denominations as a remembrance of the crucifixion of Christ.  It has intimate connection to the Jewish Passover, as this is the time at which Christ was killed.  It is ancient in origin, and near universal in practice.  It is one of two times in the year that people who never go to church go to church, and it has a secular aspect that is practiced by most people, the "Easter Bunny" and all of that, the eggs and what have you.
So why do churches of Christ have nothing to do with it?  It comes down to a question of authority in Christianity; whence it derives, and who has it.

Authority
After Jesus had arisen from the grave, he said,

"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age," Matthew 28:18-20.

While Jesus was here on earth before his death, he taught by the authority of God.  Now, all authority has been given to him, and he has told us to teach and observe all things that he has commanded us.  As this is a cursory examination of Easter, I won't go into many proofs, but suffice it to say that the rest of the New Testament, the letters as well as the gospels, were written by the authority of Jesus.
Now in Galatians 1:6-9 it says,

 "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."

This means that we are only authorized by Jesus to teach and to practice what he has taught us.  No man has any authority to teach or to practice anything as a tenet of Christianity which has not been given to us by Jesus.  If anyone chooses to do so, they are no longer following Christ, and are not accepted by him.

Remembering the death of Christ
Paul wrote,

"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'

"For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes," 1 Corinthians 11:23-27.

We have been instructed, by the authority of Christ, how we are to remember his death.  This is by partaking of what is known as the Lord's Supper, week by week, on the first day of the week (the frequency of partaking of it is learned in another passage).

The Passover
The Passover was a commemoration of the Jewish people coming out of the land of Egypt, where they were slaves.  It was instituted by God, and they were to partake of it year by year, at the time instructed in the law, given through Moses.

The Passover (in which each family was to sacrifice a lamb) was a type, or shadow, a forerunner of the sacrifice of Christ.  The temple service and sacrificial system was an illustration of the coming Messiah, that he was to be a sacrifice for sin (it was to prepare the people, among other reasons, so that they might understand the Christ when he came).

When Christ was nailed to the cross, the law of Moses ended, and the law of Christ was instituted.  The things of the Old Testament (including the Ten Commandments) are useful for teaching, but they have no authority, no force of law.  They are no longer in effect (with the exception of the covenant He made with Noah upon leaving the ark), no longer recognized by God as the covenant in force.  He has removed it, and now recognizes the covenant which he has made with us through Christ.

The origin of Easter
There were some early Christians who kept the observance of the Passover, but did so as a celebration of Jesus; this is what Easter is.  This was an express violation of the law of Christ, and there was opposition to them on this ground.  Tertullian, in letters written c. 211 and c. 213 gives a defense against charges they were in violation of the passage from Galatians (quoted earlier in this essay), by saying they didn't need written authority, they were following tradition,

"If, for these and other such rules, you insist upon having positive Scripture injunction, you will find none.  Tradition will be held forth to you as the originator of them, custom as their strengthener, and faith as their observer."

As is wont to be the case, the bulk of the people did what made them happy, instead of  following what they were instructed by the Lord to do, and this is the view that won the day; thus we have Easter in the world.

At this point something needs to be mentioned in regards to where the "tradition" of which Tertullian spoke likely arose from; this will aid to an understanding of how it was that some Christians kept the Passover.

Under the law, the Jew was to keep certain festivals, including the Passover; to not keep them, carried with it the penalty that they were to be cut off from the people.  This was a requirement they were to keep, in order to remain pleasing to God.

Now Christianity comes, and these men are told that they no longer have to keep these feasts, they no longer have certain dietary restrictions, etc.  In fact, to keep these things as binding, as requirements of law, was now forbidden.  You had some older people who had spent their lives doing a thing they were required to do, which now they weren't to do anymore.  It was the case that there were Christians who understood this in their minds, but as a matter of conscience had trouble putting it into practice.

God understood this.  There is instruction given in the New Testament to the effect that if by conscience a man had trouble giving up a practice he had been accustomed to doing under the law, if he was too weak yet to give it up, that it was okay to continue in the practice - only he was not to bind it on others as a required practice.  Christ wanted the man to understand that he was now free from following it, but that if he would violate his conscience by doing so, he could continue in it (by violating his conscience, I mean that the man would believe that he was sinning against God by not following the practice he was accustomed to).

Undoubtedly, there were some early Christians who kept the Passover out of weakness, not because they were required to.  But we also can’t forget the fact that there are always men who want to do what they want to do, regardless of the law of Christ.  They wanted to keep the passover, but now it was “new”, in that they did it in memory of Christ. 

Summary
Christ has given to us how he wants us to remember his death, and it isn't by keeping a part of the law which he died to abolish.  Churches of Christ don't keep Easter, as it isn't from Jesus, but from man.

The time of Easter
Since Easter is really just an altering of the Passover, why isn’t it kept at the same time?  The Passover is always at a fixed time, but Easter moves around.  Early on, some kept it one way, and some kept it another, and it became such a matter of controversy that one of the main issues decided at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. was when to keep the festival.  It was decided that it should be kept on a Sunday, as this was the day the Lord was raised from the dead, and never on the day of the Passover, from opposition to Judaism, as the Jews had killed our Lord.  Therefore, it is always after the Passover, according to the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

Botswana Mission Trip, 2000

7-13-00
Here I am in the President Hotel in Gaborone again. It seems as though I was just here; I can’t believe it’s been four years. At most it seems no more than a year.

In London I did the three things I had thought of doing: I went used-book shopping, tried to find something regarding Oasis for David, and went to the British Museum. I went to quite a few bookstores, but didn’t find anything. I did find a two-volume set of “The Life and Epistles of St. Paul” by Conybeare & Howson, from 1857, but with stiff pages and a £65 price tag (around $100 US), I passed. I almost bought some antique maps (they weren’t expensive at all), but talked myself out of it. All I found to do with Oasis was a “Melody Maker” cover story, so I got that for David.

The British Museum was great. I only got to spend a few hours there, which isn’t near enough. It is an antiquities museum; just incredible. Seeing objects that I’ve only seen or read about in books before: the black obelisk of Shalmaneser, out in the open, being able to get right up next to it, examine it and touch it. Wall panels of carved stone, from the Assyrian palace at Nimrud; various things from Nineveh; the coin from “render unto Cæsar”; part of a carved column (with various figures) from the temple of “Artemis (Diana) of the Ephesians”; Roman busts of various Cæsars (including Titus); an inscribed stone commemorating Alexander the Great’s contribution to some building effort; an inscribed clay tablet from Ur of the Chaldees, the hometown of Abraham; a scissor-hinged, folding, three-legged table of Roman origin (the craftsmanship was equal to today’s standard); high-quality brass hinges, and a complex lock box, both Roman (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11, “Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after”). And on, and on.

I got around town on the Underground (which goes above ground at times, as well). A one-day, all-zone pass can be had for £4.50 after 9:30 am, but as I couldn’t wait until then, I paid £7.50 (as well as the £3+ fare I had paid from Heathrow to Gloucester St.). A fairly efficient way to get around. The first bookstore I went to (at Gloucester St.), I asked the owner where more bookstores were, and he pointed me to Charing Cross. I got off the Underground there, and walked all over (partly because I got lost trying to find the British Museum).

Upon arriving in Botswana, it really does seem as though I were just here. Everything went fairly smooth at the airport (I had to pay duty on the projector (P28.85, about $5.75). I had forgotten I had it. The customs man opened the box with the tracts, and I had to declare it. I would have anyway, but I had forgotten that I had it).

The truck that I got is nearly identical to the one we had in 1996, with the exception that it has a standard tailgate / cover, and manual-locking hubs for the 4WD, as well as different theft-deterrents (and it’s a Toyota). It is almost brand-new, only 2153 km on it.

Physically, Gaborone hasn’t changed tremendously, though there are new buildings (including one behind the hotel where the theater was last time). As the agent at Avis had told me, “Gaborone hasn’t changed, but everything is more expensive.” Which is true, it is more expensive (in truth it may not be; last time the exchange rate was 3 to 1, this time it’s 5 to 1).

The feel of the place, however, has changed. Some of this, I’m sure, is attributable to the fact that I’ve changed, and that I’m more comfortable here now (since I’ve been here before). But it has changed.

It is definitely more Westernized. Cell phones are common, the manner of dress has changed somewhat (more Western, higher quality), the TV has a lot of American shows, rap music was playing in the grocery store.

Well, it’s 11:30 pm now, and after only getting bits and pieces of sleep since Monday night, I’ll probably sleep for a year.

7-15-00
I am sitting in the lobby of the hotel, waiting for Shadreck to arrive, so that we can go to the lectureship. He called yesterday, saying he would be here at eight. He called this morning, saying they would be here at nine. It’s now past ten. It was good they didn’t come at eight; I had time to eat breakfast. I was up until about one this morning, working on my lecture for today.

I didn’t get out of bed until about ten yesterday. I woke up around eight, but I was just worn out from the trip here, so I watched TV for a while.

After lunch I went to get the Bibles. They were cheaper this time, so I got 96. I hope I got the right one, there are two different versions, and I remember Mosi saying one was no good. I’ll have Shadreck look at them when he gets here.

After that I went curio shopping. There are vendors set up in the mall in back of the hotel. The quality is a little less than in Zimbabwe, but it isn’t that bad.

Shadreck came about 10:40. It turns out that he had the wrong info regarding the lectureship. It started tonight (it’s a little after 10 pm right now) instead of last night, so I didn’t have to speak.

We talked about what would take place over the next three weeks, various problems, his plans for the future, what he wants to accomplish for the church, etc. We ate lunch, and he left around 12:30.

He is very sound. It was amazing, all the problems we have in the U.S., they have here: liberalism, complacent members, whatever.

One curious thing: he said that Mahalapye is the last hope for the church. I think he meant for the church south of Mahalapye. The congregation in Gaborone, because of its size and location, is looked to by the church here (in Botswana). Whatever they do, tends to spread; and they are somewhat liberal.

Mahalapye gets converts, yet they don’t grow – they lose a lot of people to Gaborone, because of work, etc.

The liberal missionary in Shakawe has left. He took a position at Abilene.

Since Gao died, the Madala church may no longer exist.

Jimmy Phokeng apparently hasn’t gotten married yet. We are going to try to find him tomorrow afternoon. He is not a faithful member, per se; he is involved in politics, and apparently gives more to that than the church. He received the money to get married; hopefully he hasn’t squandered it.

Tomorrow morning I’ll make the trip to Mahalapye to worship there (I’m preaching).

Shadreck can’t accompany me on the trip. He is going on to Nata with me, to help settle what I’ll be doing there, but he has to be back to work on Wednesday.

I don’t think Keboree can get off work, either. It may just be John Ndolo and myself.

It is President’s Day this weekend; that is what took Shadreck so long this morning, the traffic (by the way, traffic is worse in Gaborone now, also). Then he was in line at the bank for a long time (he showed up 5 or 10 minutes after I gave up and went back to my room).

7-16-00
Where to begin…

I couldn’t possibly relate all that happened today in the space I have allotted.

When I got to Mahalapye, I was one of the first there. I went to Jackson’s house (that is where Shadreck gave me directions to), so that I might follow him to the church building (Shadreck also stopped by). When we got to the building, it had changed. They enclosed the baptistery (now with running water), and added an indoor bathroom. Also, there is a lot of jungle-gym equipment outside (underneath a canopy); they rent the building out to a nursery school. That’s how they’ve gotten the money for the building improvements.

I felt a bit out until I preached; since then I’ve felt much better. Afterwards we took pictures (outside, which was nice, as the sun was warm; it had been chilly inside. The weather had been great until yesterday afternoon, when it started to get cold) and had a men’s meeting. Then I gave them 20 Bibles, 40 tracts, and 20 each of the Spiritual Swords. Jackson was going to deliver the topic at the lectureship instead of me, so he asked me for what I had written for it. We stopped by his place of work and he made a copy of it.

I went to get my hotel room. It is small, in better shape than Gweta, but not by that much. The mattress is horrible, the tub faucet runs constantly, I can hear the music from the room next door, and it is FREEZING. When the sun goes down, the temperature drops immediately. It is strange, but instead of gradually getting darker, it goes from evening to dusk inside of two minutes, as though someone was using a dimmer switch; the temperature parallels it.

When the moon came out, it was huge! At least twice the size of the harvest moon. Did I mention it was FREEZING?!?

Tomorrow it’s on to Nata.

About 3:30 Shadreck came by, and we went to find Jimmy. The 40 km drive from Mahalapye to Shoshong is some of the most beautiful land I’ve seen in Botswana. It was open bush on both sides of the road, with mountains in the distance (we passed through them about 2/3 of the way there, and the road never changed height). Just beautiful. Shoshong is at the base of the mountains on the other side. It is perhaps the most manicured, well-kept village I’ve seen here (population 26,000).

We went to Jimmy’s house, which looked as though no one had lived there for a while. Shadreck went to talk to the neighbors, and their little boy went with us to show us where he stayed now (after the mother (I presume) took down our license plate number!). We had barely crossed the road when the boy saw Jimmy coming out of a store; so the boy walked home.

We went to where Jimmy stays (at the family compound of his “wife”), and talked for a while. We met a young Christian man from the congregation, David, who would be a good candidate for the Bible school.

Long story short, Jimmy isn’t married.

Shadreck called John Ndolo; he probably can’t get off of work. We will find out tomorrow. But it looks as though there will be no one in Nata to go with me until the evening, and it gets dark at 6 pm.

Even worse, Sepako is no more, and Manxotai and Madala worship at Nata. If this is true, and how extensive, I’ll find out tomorrow.

7-17-00
This morning it was very, very cold. There was frost on the grass, and on the window of one of the cars. As there is no heat, even in the dining room, I really didn’t get warm until the truck warmed up on the way to Nata.

We talked with a woman from Norway in the dining room. She was nice; she was going home today. We talked of how cold it was, and how extreme the temperature swing is in a day. Nice and warm in the day, frigid at night.

We arrived in Francistown, and most of the stores were closed due to the holiday. The store where I bought the skins on my last trip was gone.

We had passed a curio stand on the road from Mahalapye to Francistown, but the merchandise didn’t appeal to me.

We went to see Rich Maduba. He was well, but his wife is chronically ill. She gets around, and I don’t know exactly what is wrong, except that it’s in her arms and legs.

He’s building a new house, it’s about half finished.

His truck isn’t working, and he asked me for help to get it running. I plan to give him P2000, which I hope he uses to finish his house (his current one leaks).

We got to Nata, the lodge had changed.

We went to see John Ndolo, he was mad. As was Keboree, as is Tlale. Keboree didn’t know why the letter was sent to him, since he isn’t the preacher (though he is), John and Tlale are mad because they didn’t get letters inviting them (though they did). We got into a somewhat tense discussion.

Afterwards, a preliminary schedule was worked out. Only John and Tlale can go along.

Shadreck has been a tremendous blessing. He is going to stay through Wednesday.<

I gave Shadreck my Spiritual Sword lectureship book on grace, which I had brought along.

Gave the desk girl here at the lodge a ‘God & Man’ tract.

7-18-00
It turns out that Tlale isn’t going to come. A relative of his sister’s (or something like that) is sick, he’s helping out, and he doesn’t want to leave because they might call him for something. John thinks it’s really because of the cost of petrol and food. I had told him I would pay for his food, but???

We (Shadreck, John, Keboree and myself) went to Sepako, Manxotai, and Madala today to let them know when we’re coming. We went to the head man of the Madala area, and he welcomed us, saying he always wants people teaching about God there.

Met several Christians today during the trip. It was warmer during the night, and is quite comfortable now (around 8:20 pm).

Shadreck left today; he thought everything should be okay now, plus he thought that John and Keboree resented somewhat his being here (I think he was right).

I called Oscar, gave him a quick update.

We went to see Gao’s widow. They (Mosi & John) were successful in helping her keep her property. Gao’s relatives had taken P5000 out of her account before she knew it, but everything else worked out okay. I plan to give her P1000 tomorrow.

I gave John P200 for food and petrol, as he is commuting to help out with the mission.

Today at the lodge I saw one of the women (Mojewa) whom we baptized from the lodge in ’96. She is still faithful, and still works here.

Coming alone was a bad idea.

I got stopped for doing 78 in a 60 kph zone (in my defense, I had started slowing down, but either never made it, or drifted back up. I have been being very careful about doing the speed limit). John knew them, and talked them out of giving me a ticket.

7-19-00
A little quiet time. After working this morning, I came back for lunch; John and I are going to see a man at three who wasn’t at his home when we went there this morning, but then we saw him going down the road, and we made an appointment with him. I have about 25 minutes until I have to leave.

Today we went to Christians who don’t attend anymore. It’s hard to know what to say. John will talk with them in Setswana for a time, then turn to me and say, “This is the problem…”; usually someone got sick or something, they were attending to them, etc. Never a real solid answer. Trying to encourage them to come, while letting them know what they’re doing is wrong, it’s a tough line to walk.

Went to Mosi’s, only the daughter (youngest) was there. She isn’t married, and has a child, which means that she was at least very pregnant, if not delivered, when Mosi died. After we come back, I may go see the baobob tree near the lodge, which Mosi, Bendu, Oscar, Hazel and I went to last time.

Interlude...

Well, another day draws to a close. Our trip to see one man turned into a trip to see Keboree, to see if he got the use of the school building, then to Madala to have them prepare for us tomorrow. We decided when we were at Keboree’s to hold class at 5 pm in Nata, then on the way to Madala John remembered that Gao’s wife had said that the people at Madala didn’t get in until three. So, it will be going to the village in Nata in the morning, Madala in the afternoon.
We went to the head man in Madala again (as a courtesy), to invite him to class.

We went to the head man in Nata this morning. We went up, I said, “Dumela” to him (which is “hello” in Setswana), he held on to my hand and said something in Setswana. I said, “How are you”, or something, and he said, “No. Say (he repeated what he had said)”. I began to say that I couldn’t, he repeated it again. I said, “I can’t”, he burst out laughing (we all did. I guess he was just pulling my leg). He took my hand and sat me down next to him in a very friendly way. After John explained, he welcomed us (he took my hand at different points in their talk, as if saying, “Yes, you are welcome”). Then he took us to the sub-head (I don’t really know why). He was a stern fellow, and this time I explained. He asked how long I would be here, why I was here, where I was staying, etc. He welcomed us.

When I went to dinner, there was a table set up with only one chair. It was the table I had sat at last night. I think they might have done that for me. I thought it was nice.

To look at the night sky, it truly looks as though we are under a canopy, and you could reach out and touch the stars. To those who first surveyed and mapped out the night sky, and then figured out how to navigate by it, amazing. To the child it is playful, to the lover it is romantic, to the seaman it saves his life. Truly, “The heavens declare Thy works”.

Tonight was the first truly good meal (last night wasn’t bad, though).

7-20-00
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

Well, not really, but it does adequately describe today. I had my highest high, then some discouragement.

We had a restoration today; a man who had had political clashes with Mosi. Supposedly, Mosi sided with the opposition, blah, blah, blah, Gao & Mosi voted this man (Steve is his name) off some church board (probably the one required by the government), Steve didn’t feel he could worship with Mosi, etc. We talked with him awhile, and convinced him to return.

Met an older woman who hasn’t been attending because she has to take the goats somewhere (regularly), but otherwise she has great faith. Tried to impress upon her the need to worship, wherever she is at.

Went to see Mosi’s widow.

Saw one of Mosi’s children the other day (a son I hadn’t met before, about 20 yrs. old; he recognized me from a picture); he was working with the road crew on the Sepako road.

We converted a young man (18 yrs. old), the son of a faithful woman and a father who also is a Christian, but who doesn’t attend. The father is the reason we went to the house. Only the son was there. I wanted to baptize him right away, but before I said so John said we should wait until Keboree got off work, since he is the Nata preacher. I agreed.

Big mistake.

We had set 5 pm as the time to do it; we were late getting back from Madala (we got to his house around 5:10), and he had left about 20 minutes earlier according to his sister (I think she was his sister). We are going to try to find him Saturday.

We went to Madala. It ended up all but two people were Christians, so I had to scrap my intended talk, and come up with something of encouragement on the spot. I used Isaiah 49:14-16, Psalm 37, and Psalm 73. I think it went okay.

When I finished, I started to say something to the two who weren’t Christians, but I couldn’t think of a way to approach it; I didn’t want it to seem as though I was attacking them (there were about 10 or 12 Christians there). I asked John to say something, as he knew them (I still probably should have said something, but it was silent, and I was having a block). John talked to them awhile. One was an old man, the other an old woman. There was another old woman sitting next to her, who was goading her a bit. It ended with them saying they didn’t want to be baptized because of pressure to do it then, that they would consider it again (something like that). Then we took pictures.

7-21-00
This is the worst time of day – it’s an hour and a half until dinner, and I don’t really feel like doing anything. I don’t want to write, I don’t want to read, and there’s no one to talk to.

Just like last time, keeping this journal is a chore, and a not very pleasant one. But, I must plug away.

Today I went to Francistown to give Rich Maduba the money I promised him. No one was home. A wasted 250 mile round trip. I’ll have to go one day next week.

Keboree rode with me on the way down, so we did talk some on the preaching situation, and about sending some men to the Bible school.

Too many people in Francistown.

Last night Keboree said that he would like for me to talk to two older teens who are staying with him but who aren’t Christians. And to his wife about the responsibilities of a Christian wife. Pass the kid gloves.

They’ve made some very nice improvements to the lodge – and they’re still doing more. Hot water tanks instead of the old system (a heat-it-as-it-comes-in contraption – it worked well, but the pilot went out a lot). The old reception area was removed, and they are in the process of making it part of the dining room – consequently all of our meals we eat outside.

It isn’t much fun being here by myself. The big old baobob near here is as majestic as ever – but what’s the point if you can’t share it.

7-23-00
It’s 10:16 pm, and while I don’t enjoy writing this journal, at the moment it’s not so bad; besides, if I don’t, I’ll get too far behind.

Not too long after I stopped my last entry, I was informed that I would have to move to a tent for a night (a big one, with a bathroom). It seems that all the chalets were booked for the 22nd when Oscar reserved my time here. I complained; I asked why during the three months no had told us, and why I wasn’t told when I came here. I told them I had plans, etc. The girl at the desk said she would talk to the woman when she arrived in the morning (6:30). The girl at the desk said they did try to fax.

So I packed, and loaded the truck the next morning.

When I walked by the desk, the same girl said, “It’s okay, you don’t have to move.” I said that I had already moved out. I asked for a different chalet; long story short, I’m now in #9, the one I had last time.

Saw a bushbaby for the first time. It’s incredible how far they leap. It hopped like a kangaroo.

It seems a million people are Christians, but no one attends. At lunch yesterday, I overheard Baptist missionaries (the same girl at the desk had told me who they were as I walked by) saying that there were three church of Christ congregations in the area, and that they weren’t doing well, that the preacher had died last year. He had visited them (the missionary had been to the congregations), and he was going to work on them, essentially. The congregations he named were Nata, Manxotai, and Sepako. I had just returned from Manxotai, and was on my way to Sepako.

I told John about it when I picked him up, and I told him I was then going to talk about baptism at Sepako. He said he knew who the missionary was; he had visited, and offered money to build a building. John had told him no, we raise our money from our members.

Today we worshipped at Nata and Madala. There were few people at either. Nata is in the process of building a new building (brick); we worshipped inside.

At Madala we met in someone’s rondoval (the church building was collapsing).

After I got back, I went to see if I could watch the British Open on the TV at the bar here at the lodge. There was a soccer game on that the only man there had just turned on (6 minutes into a 90 minute game). At the half he let me turn it to the golf (10 minutes or so), and said when the game was done I could switch it. The game didn’t end until more than halfway through the second 15-minute overtime.

So I got to see a large part of Tiger winning the British Open.

Some young kids (8 – 12 yrs. old?) did a traditional dance during lunch today. There were about forty or more (I think the troupe was just passing through). I gave P10.

Talked with some British people before dinner. Very nice.

7-24-00
The Brits I wrote about above, we talked about all sorts of things – why each of us was here (they’re on holiday), England, mostly cricket. The father and son were both big cricket fans. I had watched part of a match while in Gabs, and had mostly figured it out. I asked him (the father) a question or two about things I was unclear on. It had actually been a little interesting once I had figured it out. We were talking while watching the British Open.

Today went well; we went to non-Christians. The first was an old man who accepted the gospel. Then we went to find the young man we couldn’t find to baptize the other day. He was near his house, and agreed also to be baptized today. Then we went to Mosi’s, to talk to his daughter who attends services, but isn’t baptized. She wasn’t there, but a nephew of John’s was. We talked with him, and he accepted the gospel (I’d say he was 14 or 15 yrs. old). We then went to see if Gasemotse could come on his lunch hour to baptize them (he could); at around 12:30 we baptized all three (Keboree baptized them in very shallow water; the old man, his toes came out a little as he went under; I don’t know if he was ever completely under or not).

Both Bendu and Shadreck called today while I was out. I’m waiting for them to call back.

Went to the post office to mail my postcards, they had already closed (they had a slot, but I need stamps).

7-25-00
Just a quick word before starting today.

Yesterday morning as I was getting ready, I was thinking of how there was no way I could do this again; it was just too hard on the old spirit. I knew I would have to come at least once more, to train whoever. But it’s amazing how much strength I gained from those baptisms. It encouraged me quite a bit.

John and I went to find the man at Madala who wants to go to the preaching school; no success. We found where he lives, and we’ll try again tomorrow on our way to Sepako.

We went to talk to Mosi’s daughter about becoming a Christian, she asked us to come tomorrow. There also will be a young man there who wants to hear.

After this, John wanted to go to Francistown to visit Mosi’s eldest son, who is in the hospital there.

When I returned to the lodge, they were cleaning my room. As I had decided to go to the Nata Sanctuary today since I had the time, I went ahead and went.

Bendu called; he’s going to work me to death!

7-26-00
Shadreck called last night to see how things were going (he had said he would). I asked him to let Rich know I’m coming Saturday; he said he’d try.

Today we went to Sepako, but the man who could gather the people together hadn’t returned (an older man, he isn’t a preacher, but he is very knowledgeable and holds the people together). When we had went Saturday, they had been ready for us in the morning (while we were at Manxotai), but we got there in the late afternoon. The old man and his wife were leaving to go to Nata, and hoped to be back Monday, but for sure Tuesday. So we made plans for Wednesday (today). So we could do nothing. We talked to the head man, to tell him we planned to return Friday (he grilled me, literally).

The old man we had baptized the other day – I forgot to mention that he knew my name; at some time in the past Mosi had told him I would come and talk to him!

Today we baptized Mosi’s daughter. We went and preached the gospel to her, and she accepted. The other man who was going to be there wasn’t.

John and I went to Zoroga to let them know we’re coming tomorrow. We went to the head man (the same one they were installing when we came in 1996 – see last journal). He was a personable fellow.

The problem (sort of) is that another old man came up while we were there. He and John talked for a good while in Setswana; then John said to me, “This man used to be a member, but now he goes to another church. He knows a lot of the Christians here, and since there is no building we are going to use his house. There will probably be non-Christians there as well. Is that okay?” What could I say? I agreed, considering that I wouldn’t be opposed to preaching in a denomination as long as I preached the gospel to them and showed them their error. So I thought that I will have to make a point to speak specifically and openly before everyone there to this man about his error.

The other old man who was there said the Baptist missionary had been there, offering to build a building. So, I must talk about baptism to the Christians, preach the gospel to the non-Christians, and rebuke and exhort those who left.

I think I’ll call Oscar to tell him about Mosi’s daughter.

The mistake I made in coming alone, is that even though I am with the church here, I am still alone. Meaning, they tend to talk in Setswana. If there are four of us in the truck on a long (or short) drive, for example, they talk non-stop – only in Setswana. So I am alone. Now, on the Sepako road, that’s not entirely a bad thing – I need to pay attention to the road, especially since they are working on it (it truly is a four-wheel drive road). But they will be in intense, loud conversation, laughing, etc., and I’m clueless.

7-27-00
Zoroga.

We went to that man’s house, and after a bit three women came. Then another. After a while we preached the gospel to them (none of them were Christians). Right after we started, two young boys (about 12 or 13 yrs. old) came. Then right at the end a young man with a ‘Nata Lodge’ jacket came. No one accepted (we found out later that the young man is a Christian).

It turns out that the old man isn’t an erring Christian – he isn’t a Christian at all. He was baptized in a faith-healing church, then he just associated with the church for a while; now he’s back at the faith-healers. He was unwilling to listen to the truth about miracles. To him, I think he thought we are working together. I told John that if any of these people are baptized (they said they were considering), he would have to make it clear that they cannot fellowship this old man.

Went to Gasemotse’s work about 12, the gate was shut and no one was there (he doesn’t go to lunch until 12:30). I have to go back this afternoon, to find out when he wants me to talk to those kids at his house.

It’s about 1:30, and I am tremendously bored. Yesterday we worked until near 5; the days go much faster that way. The time has gone fairly fast so far.

After I finished the previous page, I read through all that I’ve written so far. I’d already forgotten some things, and others, I hadn’t written. Like that I gave Gao’s widow P1000. Or that I gave John another P300.

I took a general accounting of things this afternoon. I checked my tickets, checked the truck rental agreement (to make sure I wouldn’t have to pay for the dent I put in the truck), marked off the traveler’s checks I had used, counted what I had left, calculated (roughly) what my bill here is going to be, etc. I had considered giving Gao’s widow another P1000; but then I thought that she has the horses and cattle, and I don’t know for sure what the truck is going to cost (I should have more than enough). At the moment I don’t think I will, but that may change.

Oscar asked me what I thought about John (I called this afternoon). I do think John is sincere in his faith, and is a good worker; I don’t know how dedicated to the other villages he is, though. He has a traditional home in Manxotai, but a very nice brick one here in Nata (hot water, satellite t.v.). His office is in Nata, he’s a vice something or other on the board of a school here, etc.

It’s funny, but tea puts me to sleep at night. I have been getting a lot of sleep (8 hrs. or more a night). It hasn’t been too cold at night, and the days have been very nice, though the last two have been cooler, and very windy. It probably didn’t get above 70° today, if that.

7-28-00
Again we went to Sepako, again no success.

We checked the old man’s house here in Nata first to see if he went back to Sepako, and his wife said he had. We got up there, he was in a land board meeting.

So we went to some of the Christians, to tell them we were coming Sunday for worship.

The preacher they had had, left the church for a denomination. We got the use of a classroom for worship. We went to see the deputy headmaster about getting it; she is a proud woman. I have much to say about what transpired; I just don’t feel like writing right now. Perhaps tomorrow. She did ask for a Bible, and I gave her one, along with a ‘God and Man’ tract. I had John put his name and address in the front. She said she wants to learn about God. I gave Mojewa Oscar’s address.

The desk girl I gave the ‘God and Man’ tract to, I asked her if she wanted to study. She said yes. Maybe Sunday.

Guinea fowl can fly. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

7-29-00
Went to Francistown today to see Rich Maduba, to give him the P2000. He had gone to the hospital last Friday; he had had a bad headache all Thursday, and when he had gotten up Friday, he decided he had better go. Shadreck had been to see him, to let him know I was coming today. He was expecting me. He is still trying to get me to commit to including Francistown in our trips here. I keep telling him I am not able to say yes.

I had just started to go call Keboree, to see about the two kids at his house he wanted me to talk to, I decided not to; it’s 6 pm and the sun is setting. And there is something John said that I agree with – that Keboree should talk to them (I don’t know if he has or not). Keboree strikes me as though (in general) he’s not real anxious (that’s not the right word; more like he shies away from) to be “the guy” at Nata. Like he doesn’t really want to, but he does. Between him and John, with them both working regular jobs, I don’t think the church will grow here.

The problem here is part what Mosi told me, a lack of sincerity on the part of those who become Christians (not that they aren’t sincere when they first believe, but that they don’t stick with it), and then those that are “faithful”, but they let work get in the way of assembling together for worship. If all the people here (Nata) who are Christians actually assembled together, the building couldn’t hold them, the plot probably couldn’t either, and they would be a force to be reckoned with. The way things stand, they will never be able to accomplish anything.

What is needed is a strong, motivated, respected Christian who has the time to devote to pay constant attention to all those who are baptized; someone to get them involved and doing things, to light a fire under them (why is it that as I write these words I have a feeling where this is heading…).

I want to use the 18 yr. old who was baptized the other day as an example. I was happy when he accepted the gospel – and sad at the same time; the chances of him sticking with it are slim, and if he doesn’t, he is in a worse state than before (now I know that it is only our responsibility to sow the seed, that this man is responsible for himself, and that you never know who will and who won’t stick; yet how can this not be a burden? They need someone to guide, nurture, and motivate them; they are only babes. I tried to impress upon them the need to assemble, so they can grow, but you can only say so much).

About the headmaster from yesterday. When we went to her office, she had a plastic sheet (like a tablecloth for a picnic table) over her desk which had a map of the world on it (in a repeating pattern). When John told her I was from America, I pointed to Detroit and said, “From here!” We laughed. She then said the problem with getting a room to use was that everyone would be gone; they were going to go get their pay. She related how they were ready for us last Saturday (we said we had gone to Manxotai in the morning). After a bit of discussion, she said, “Let me go discuss it with my staff. Wait here.” Then she told me to give John a social studies lesson while she was gone!

I did show John some of the places I had been in the world, then I asked him where he was from. We were talking about that (I think) when she returned. She said, “What are you talking about?! I know it’s not social studies!” I told her I did show him where I’d been (I pointed out a few).

She said we could use a room; we needed to go see a member of the PTA who could let us in. We all went to go see her (she was in the same land board meeting that the old man was in. The headmaster went and pulled her over to meet us and set the arrangements. For some reason it is going to cost P5).

An interesting thing happened as we left the headmaster’s office to go see the other woman. As we left the building (it is a new, red brick building, not cinderblock) John said it was a nice building, almost like in town. He didn’t hear her response, not quite under her breath, but I did – “This is a town.” (As I mentioned before, she is a very proud woman).

On the way back from seeing the other woman is when she asked me for a Bible.

It’s 7 pm now, time for dinner. I should go; we have to be at Sepako at 10 am, it’s about an hour and a quarter drive.

I don’t think I wrote this before, so I will now. Every time I drive the Sepako road, either consciously or unconsciously I get the song “Tobacco Road” stuck in my head (Sepako sort of rhymes with tobacco…).

Just came back from dinner; it was an interesting 45 minutes. First, they directed me to a table (one of the few times, usually you just sit wherever) at the very back – away from everyone. It was almost as though they were hiding me. Then the same bartender who just refuses to come ask what I want to drink (I don’t know if it’s because of the remodeling of the dining room, but you don’t get your drinks from the waitress, someone from the bar comes over). I don’t know if he thinks I offended him, or what. He will not come serve me.

The dance troupe from last Sunday came during dinner and performed (in fact, they finished just as I started this sentence. I could hear them from here in my room. They just started again).

7-30-00
Last full day in Nata. I just finished eating lunch; it’s about 3:18 pm. If I were home, I would likely be at David’s (my son) right now to pick him up for worship (it’s 9:18 am at home).

We worshipped at Sepako today. We started almost an hour late, consequently when we got to Manxotai they had already finished and gone home.

It went well at Sepako. I guess the reason for the PTA woman was just to show us which room; nothing was locked. They did set up a room for us though; all chairs, no desks (except for the teacher’s desk).

The reason we started an hour late is the usual – no one shows up at the appointed time. I was first at Nata, first at Sepako (with John and Steve).

At Nata I’m finished.

Though it’s not difficult, per se, to do what I’m doing here, it is tiresome. Not that I’m tired of what I’m doing, but rather it wears you out. I’m sleeping from 9 to 10 hours a night (though some of that may have to do with the fact that it’s so cold in the morning), and I’m usually out by 9 pm.

I do need to pack, though I think I’ll take a nap.

It’s now about 5:30, I’ve called Tlale to ask how to find him, cleaned the back of the truck a bit, gotten a ticket for dinner, and watched the birds for a bit.

Surprisingly, it’s a bit sad leaving here. I was never sad to leave any place last time. Perhaps it’s because I was here alone, and everything was so personal.

At Manxotai, across from the church’s plot, there is a boarding house for kids that come from far away to go to school. The headmaster had told John that when I came back to take me over there; many of them had never seen a white man. So we went over, I said hello. Now they have seen a white man! One of the boys said I was handsome.

I wonder if they eat guinea fowl?

I know the next week is going to sail by. Which reminds me, I saw someone pulling a motorboat about a week or two ago.

Maybe I’ll read a bit now; I’ve done very little of that this time. Last time, I read three books in two weeks. This time, I have read 3 hrs. max. I have “The Life and Epistles of St. Paul”, by Conybeare and Howson (I gave my book on grace to Shadreck). I forgot about the newspapers and magazines I’ve read.

Last trip I was in possession of a voracious appetite to read, and as I was only doing some of the work here, I read a lot (the books I read were “The Eternal Kingdom”, by F.W. Mattox; “Evolution In the Light of Scripture, Science, and Sense”, by Basil Overton; and the greater part of “A General Introduction to the Bible”, by Geisler and Nix). This time, when I have the time, I’m more into resting my brain, as opposed to doing deep reading.

It just turned 6 pm, at home it’s 12 noon, and they are just finishing worship. I can picture it in my head. I wish I were there.

7-31-00
Well, one thing to be said for the Nata Lodge, at least the bed was comfortable. Here at the Island Safari Lodge, well, at least it has to be more comfortable than the rope carpet (I’m not kidding).

On the road from Nata to Maun, I saw one monkey, a flock of ostriches, twice I saw a solitary ostrich, the remains of a zebra carcass, and the skeleton of some animal (huge, like a cow).

Stopped in Gweta, and saw Tlale. He echoed the same line – people are baptized, they come once, that’s it. He does have some faithful members. They use the building as a day care, run by one of our sisters (Tlale hopes they can get some of the mothers as a result). There were a lot of kids; the sister running it has hired a woman to teach.

I also met his wife.

There is a new, fairly large hospital in town (Gweta).

Upon arriving in Maun, I met up with Bendu, and gave him his check, the projector, the Bibles, tracts and Spiritual Swords. He has gotten much older than the 4 years it has been. I didn’t really recognize him.

He told me the schedule, it’s different than I had thought; it turns out Etsha 13 is over 300km away! So, we go to Toteng tomorrow, Etsha 13 the next day, then we are meeting Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at the building, then twice Sunday.

I met Bendu’s sister, as well as his niece.

8-1-00
We went to Toteng today; I was prepared to preach the gospel (I expanded the scope of what I will cover), but only 2 Christians and 1 non-Christian came. So I went through 2Peter 1:5-11 instead. On our way to Etsha 13 tomorrow we are going to stop in at Toteng and give them some fliers to say we will be back on Friday.

I went to Avis to find out what the final cost of the truck will be. We’re going to switch it to unlimited mileage because it will be cheaper. I showed them the damage to the truck; I had to take it to the Toyota dealer to get an estimate. It turns out (as was not explained to me) that the collision waiver only applies to 80% of the total after the first P7500 ($1500), meaning you pay the first P7500, then 20% of the rest. The estimate came out to P1048, or $207.50. I said that the deductible wasn’t explained to me at Gabs, they just said it was a damage waiver. She said that she would talk to her manager at Gabs. Even the back of the contract has an additional proviso giving full coverage, and I had agreed to everything he had offered. Turns out they discontinued that proviso.

So now that I have the total for the truck, and the total for the room, I can go to the bank. I should end up with about $1300 left over.

8-2-00
What a day, what a day, what a day. It was a good day, it was a long day, it was an interesting day. It is now 7:40 pm, dark, and noisy. Just the animals. All kinds. Very loud.

I looked at the stars on the way back to my room; the walk from the parking lot to my room is in the same direction as at Nata for the same trip.

These animals are loud (not lodge animals, but crickets, birds (they sound like geese), and whatever else. A real cacophony).

We went to Etsha 13. It is only about 60 - 90km from Shakawe. Which means it’s a LONG way from Maun. We left at 8 this morning, and got back around 5:30 pm.

When we got there it was the usual; anywhere from a half-hour to an hour or more getting the people together. We met at the preacher’s house; he is Angolan (the people here are Angolan refugees), and he was converted by Bendu (who is Angolan) in 1985 (or thereabouts) and used to preach in Maun. He left the church, then came back (as it’s hard to understand Mauricio at times, I can’t say for sure, but I think he said he left for a denomination, and might have once or twice). He asked for Bendu’s help (he had run into him in Maun) in getting the church going in Etsha 13, and they’ve done a good job. It was mostly Christians who came today; there were likely thirty or more there (total. At least 3 or 4 of the men weren’t Christians, and 4 of the women were converted but hadn’t been baptized yet). They speak Angolan, which Bendu doesn’t; many of them speak Setswana, though. At first, Mauricio was going to translate into Setswana, then the preacher from Setswana into Angolan, but they said they would do fine with just Setswana.

As it was mostly Christians (at first today Mauricio said there would just be Christians; after I had asked when I first arrived in Maun, and he said mixed. All I had prepared for was conversion, so it was to be a late switch in lesson, as well as in mindset. I’ve gone expecting one thing, and found another. It’s fine to encourage the Christians, but I am worried that back home they won’t understand if there aren’t a lot of conversions. I do feel a measure of accountability; after all, the people at home gave a lot of money. I don’t know what is expected of me, per se, but the track record of this work has been a lot of conversions. If there aren’t a lot this time, I don’t know if it will be looked at as a failure or not. The situation has been different this time; whereas in 1996, we had 4 or 5 preachers at a time rounding up people (Christian or not), and Oscar preaching a straight gospel lesson, in Nata this time it was just John and myself, and when we went to a village it was almost exclusively Christians we talked with. The conversions came during the few times we went to individuals in Nata. Here, it’s just Mauricio and myself; we are going back to Toteng, so we should have more people next time, but the rest of the time (with the exception of Etsha 13 today) will be a gospel meeting at night here, which will probably be mostly, if not exclusively, attended by Christians), I gave a short (maybe 20 minutes) encouragement lesson on 2Peter 1:5-11, then I preached the gospel to the non-Christians. We had four respond, so with the four who were already going to be baptized, we baptized eight people today. Which was an experience unto itself.

It began with 13 of us piling into the truck (me, Bendu, the preacher, the eight, one friend of one (or more) of the eight, and another Christian) for the trip to the water several km’s away (through deep sand). It was slow going. Right before we got to the watering hole (this actually was some beautiful countryside), there was this huge bird walking, looking around. At least 4-5 ft. tall (he was still there when we left, and I got a picture). Then, as we broached the clearing, huge vultures flew out of the trees (they lumbered to get altitude), and began circling overhead. We walked to the water for the baptisms. One of the girls (probably about 15 yrs. old) dispensed with upper clothing altogether (I momentarily wondered whether it would be a proper baptism, but it didn’t faze Bendu; she did cover herself most of the time with her arms). When we took the group shot afterwards, I had to have Bendu have her put her shirt on, otherwise I don’t think she was going to.

Anyhow, on the way back, we got stuck in the sand; I got everyone out of the back, which worked, and I drove to shallower sand; they got back in, and off we went.

Bendu asked for P100 for them to buy reeds (P20 a bundle) to build (or start) a building (the reeds are for the walls). I thought to give them P500, but reconsidered and gave them P200. I want to help, not do it for them. They need to take some part in it financially; it can help bring them closer together, feel a part of things. Then again, P200 might build it! Mauricio said they are going to put a metal roof on it, so it probably won’t.

Anyways, I’m going to bed.

I just remembered; on the way to Etsha, I hit a bird. First, just some feathers were visible over the hood (after I hit it), then a foot stuck up for 15 or 20 seconds, then the whole bird came loose and hit the windshield, and went over the truck. Gruesome!

8-3-00
Come on, Monday! Well, it’s not that bad…

Right now is the time I dislike – about an hour and a half, and nothing to do. It’s 4:30 pm, the meeting starts at 6:30, it will take a half-hour to get ready and get there (I plan to get there at 6:15, which means I should only have to wait about 45 minutes or so to start preaching). He’s got it as being from 6:30 – 9:00, but I only plan on talking for an hour.

I see the airstrip as I go into town; a constant reminder. I’m already basically halfway through here in Maun; it went by in a moment (kind of). Tomorrow should fly, with Toteng in the morning, the meeting at night; then any baptisms from Toteng would probably be Saturday, which means getting them, bringing them to Maun, and taking them back (140km round-trip each time – about 85 miles), then the meeting that night, then Sunday.

The bank went okay; I had to fill out a form because I was getting more than P10,000 (who I am, why I’m here, etc.). The exchange rate was better.

Interlude...

It’s now almost 10 pm. Here at Maun they are nearer to being on time than anywhere else I’ve been; probably because it’s a good-size town, so they’re probably more time-oriented. When I got there (around 6:15) there were three people there.

Bendu came at around a quarter till, ten till; I had begun to wonder whether he thought I was picking him up. Turns out he had been there since 5, and he had been out trying to get people to come.

We started singing at 6:30 or so (actually a little earlier); there were about 10 or 15 of us. By the time I started preaching at 7, it was pretty well full. More came during.

I went for an hour and 25 minutes. When I had snuck a look at my watch (their clock is behind the pulpit), it was 8:10, 8:15. When I had started, I went through the first page of my outline pretty quickly (it was only 3 pages, with another page that had Scriptures relating to one part of the outline), or so it felt (I didn’t think I’d make an hour).

When I was finished, and got back to my seat, I was so high and felt such a fellowship with them, at that point I didn’t want any of this to end; even when we ended, and they were all talking, and I couldn’t really talk with anyone, because they were all speaking in Setswana. I felt a part of them like I hadn’t before. I felt at home.

Then I gave Mauricio, his daughter, and three giggly teenage girls a ride home.

A lot of them were taking down notes (at the beginning, anyway. I didn’t notice after awhile); that was encouraging (to me).

8-4-00
When I picked Mauricio up this morning he told me there were some at the meeting last night (non-Christians) who believed in sprinkling for baptism (my lesson had been about baptism; what it is, how, why, who can be; all the while showing denominational error, how it came about, etc.). Good. Maybe they learned something that will bring them out.

We went to Toteng this morning; no one had gathered, and the man was at court. We went to the same house as before; it was one of the Christians, and the non-Christian from the last time. Then three men came up who weren’t Christians, so we preached to these four; all accepted. So tomorrow we are going to baptize them (there are three others needing baptism who weren’t there; that’s why we’re waiting until tomorrow, to get them all at one time).

One of the men brought up the same objection again – we come, we baptize, then we leave them, with no one to help them (this is a very valid point). There are several at Maun who are capable of preaching, and the bus runs on Sunday morning, so they are going to take turns coming to Toteng to worship with them, hopefully until they get strong enough to stand on their own (which they need to do, eventually).

On the way back Mauricio told me he had preached for the President of Botswana on President’s Day (he said they had selected him (who had, I don’t know), they like church of Christ preaching; but they won’t be added, they go back to their denominations). Then, it was on TV on the 25th.

Shania Twain. The same album. Over and over. And over. Endlessly repeating. That’s what plays in the dining room and reception. Nothing else. Over and over…

8-5-00
I didn’t feel like writing when I got in last night.

Last night went okay; I thought I did an adequate job.

We went to Toteng; of the seven to be baptized, there were only three. So we brought them to Maun, baptized them, and gave them money for the bus (Mauricio suggested this instead of taking them back).

Just came back from lunch; boy did I eat the wrong thing.

Last night I went 1 hr. 10 min., and that was with cutting out a section. I really don’t even want to go an hour tonight, with worship in the morning; but mainly I don’t want them to start hating me!

Later…

I have about 20 minutes to kill before going to the meeting. Since a little after 3 I’ve gone into town (oddly, nearly everything was closed; the supermarket had closed at 3) and gotten a newspaper, came back and read it, and walked around the lodge a bit. Except for being quite windy at times, it’s very nice out.

It’s strange how hot direct sunlight is as opposed to the ambient air temperature. When I went into town, the sun was painfully hot on my ear as I drove; yet it is very comfortable out.

Later still…

The meeting tonight went well. I only talked for 45 minutes; I think it was appreciated (being shorter).

The giggly teenage girls – I think it’s because of me.

Last night the one asked me as they were in the truck (in the midst of their giggling), “Where is your wife and kids?” Not proof? I didn’t think so. Tonight, I was sitting in the one of the middle of 4 chairs; they came and surrounded me. That proved it to me!

When I got there tonight, only Mauricio’s daughter was there (she is 15; the gigglers are her friends). We talked for awhile. She’s fairly mature and centered (she’s baptized; Shadreck (I think) had told me she was baptized when she was at the youth conference lectureship; I asked Mauricio this today and he said yes. He also said she likes to go to all the lectureships. She went to the one in Gabs, and yes, Jackson did give my sermon! I told her it was mine, what had happened, and that she would hear it again tomorrow!); she wants to visit America when she finishes school (8 more years).

Today was the first time I think I truly relaxed since I’ve been here (I did relax watching the British Open; still, I had the anxiety of what was yet to come). My sermon for the morning is ready, and the one for the afternoon is basically ready; all I have to do is give them. Then I go home. Lord willing.

I think the trip has been a success, overall; I came to find out what was going on in Nata, I did; we encouraged the people, and we had conversions (I hope we encouraged them…).

I’ve learned quite a bit, being here again. Last time, I was basically just here. This time…

8-6-00
Worship was good this morning. It is now near 4:30 pm; we meet again at 6:30, and that is the end. This time tomorrow, I will be on a plane headed to South Africa (Lord willing).

I have a busy, and boring, day ahead of me. Busy, in that I have to get the truck washed, load it, and check out by 10 am. Then I have to have the truck back by 12:35 (I may or may not have to go to the bank). Either I’ll be bored till then, or I’ll be bored to then! Then my flight doesn’t leave until 4 (though there will be some excitement around 3 – I get to check in!). Then a 2 hour 35 minute layover in South Africa, then over 6 hours in Heathrow (yikes!). But my own bed is at the end of it all.

8-7-00
This may or may not be the last entry. It depends on how bored I get at Heathrow.

Sometimes my own stupidity amazes me. I checked my bags here at Johannesburg, without getting the British currency out, and without putting my coat in the duffel bag, and without putting the map in the suitcase. My bags are checked through to Detroit now. Oh well.
It’s approaching 6:30 pm now, and my flight leaves at 8:35 (or thereabouts).

The last 24 hrs. were quite eventful. Everything was looser last night (lighter mood). I only talked for about 35 minutes. The sister of the man who translated the first three nights was baptized this morning. She was going to wait until next Sunday, but last night they convinced her to do it today. At first Mauricio said, “Perhaps Steve can assist…”; I stopped him and told him there was no way, I had to check out, turn in the truck, etc. So they made other arrangements.

This morning, I went to the car wash at 8, when they said they opened. Of course, they weren’t. Mild panic. I went back after about 20 minutes and they were open. Check out went smooth. I decided just to go to the airport, even though I had the truck until 12:35. I was about P300 short for the cost of the truck, but I knew there was a money exchange at the airport, and I didn’t feel like going to the bank (dealing with the crowd, etc.).

The money exchange was closed.

So, I went to the bank. Which was very crowded.

Anyways, I got back to the airport with a half-hour to spare. I called Avis, she came down (they are about 200 meters up the road). She went back to send the info so they could send her the bill. She came back, and it was about P2000+ more than they had told me. We got that fixed; they had charged me the full coverage rate by mistake (don’t ask me, I don’t know). Anyway, it ended up they only charged me 20% of the accident cost, so I had had enough money before I went to the bank. So now I have about $100 worth of pula in my pocket.

Anyways, here I sit, with 16-17 hours of flying and a 6 hour layover ahead of me.

Fun.

Botswana Mission Trip, 1996

8-1-96
Here I am, waiting for my flight. Oscar and Hazel went to Peggy’s house; they had left a note taped to the airline counter for me. I had thought I would never fly again, I guess I was wrong. I am anxious to get underway. The preparation has been very stressful. I haven’t felt myself for a few weeks now.

I have no idea what to expect in Botswana. Looking out the window here I see I-94, grass and trees, as well as our plane. I remember sitting in this airport (though in the domestic terminal), waiting to go to basic training for the Army. That (basic training) was for 8 weeks, this is for 7 weeks, and I look at this as a sort of basic training. I will soon know what it is the Lord has in store for me. I hope I am able. Soon I will know.

I will be glad to arrive in Gaborone.

8-2-96
We are now in the air, on our way to Johannesburg.

After getting rest upon arriving in London, we went on a tour (bus) of the city. The architecture of the city is incredible. There were people everywhere, literally. People just gathered everywhere. A very clean city. If I ever get the chance, I would like to spend a couple of weeks there. A lot of character to the city.

8-3-96
Sitting on the plane in Johannesburg, waiting for them to fix it.
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We arrived okay in Gaborone; everything went well at the airport with getting the rental car. We got an almost brand-new Mitsubishi extended-cab 4W.D. pickup with a “camper” built on the back (it has no tailgate, and the “camper” door extends all the way down). It has an immobilizer, the “CLUB”, and it has a manual transmission. So, in addition to having to learn to drive on the left side of the road, I have to learn to shift with my left hand as well.

It’s been a long day, we have to get up early tomorrow (6 am), I have a screaming headache, I’m tired, and I’m going to bed.

8-4-96
Drove the 220 km or so to Mahalapye to worship with the brethren there. We had a map to the church from Shadreck, but we couldn’t find it (the church, not the map). We pulled into a parking lot where there were some people, and I rolled down the window and asked a man where the church of Christ was, but he didn’t know. Oscar started to slowly pull away and then a young woman came to the window. I rolled it back down, and she asked, “Are you an American?” I said, “Yes”, and asked her if she knew where the church of Christ was. She said, “Yes, I am a member, and it’s right by my house.” We gave her a ride, and she led us right to it. We never would have found it on our own. The map didn’t even resemble where the church was. Her name was Lorraine, and she was returning from school for the weekend.

We were awed (the Lord helped us. We weren’t awed that He would help us, He says He will, just that the providence of God is so awesome), and by the look on her face (and her comment, something like, “Maybe that’s why I was here”, as she got in the truck (and she was kind of looking off as she said it)), she was too.

We got to the congregation and brother Jackson came outside to meet us. He asked Oscar to give the lesson and myself to do the Lord’s table. While we were waiting outside for Hazel, we heard them singing, “Our God, He is Alive”. We walked in, sang two songs, and there I was, officiating at the Lord’s table! Nothing like jumping right in. After the lesson, we met with the brethren outside, took pictures, made plans to meet them tomorrow, then went with Shadreck’s brother Bopelo to find the hotel and make reservations for tomorrow night.

My first experience on the road driving a left-handed stick on the left side of the road didn’t go well at first. I turned, and attempted to go on the wrong side of a vehicle (the driver gave me a strange look), then my first attempt at a traffic circle was a disaster, then I went in the exit at a gas station. After that, I did okay. It is strange at times driving on the left side of the road.

The worship service made me a lot more comfortable being here. I’m glad we arrived as we did, that Sunday was so soon. Their worship was entirely recognizable, the same as ours; and speaking with an interpreter wasn’t bad.

It was very windy, and it was quite chilly. At one point after worship I was cold as we stood outside. It felt like upper fifties.

8-5-96
I’m already losing track of time, what the date is. Time is going by very quickly. It’s about 9:30 pm (I don’t have a clock in my room) Monday, and I’m thinking of those back home (I often do). It’s 3:30 pm Monday there.

We just had dinner with Jackson and his wife. That means we’re in Mahalapye. We came here to pick up the “God & Man” tracts, and also the correspondence courses (both printed in the Setswana language), but the courses weren’t ready (they should be ready in two weeks), so we just picked up the tracts. We are spending the night here, then going on to Francistown and Nata tomorrow.

We spent about 1½ hours at the bank this morning, changing our currency. Before we went there, I went next door to get my hair cut. I went into the building, and upstairs there were two hair places. I went to the one, BIG mistake. The woman was very nice, but had no clue as to how to cut my kind of hair. She cut some here, some there, saying to tell her if there were any faults, she would fix them, but I figured that I ought to cut my losses and try the other place. I snuck in there (I didn’t want to hurt the first woman’s feelings), and they said to come back at ten. I went there after the bank, and when he started cutting my hair, I could tell he knew what he was doing. Good haircut.

We went to the Bible Society of Botswana to pick up some Bibles in the Setswana language. We bought five cases (80 Bibles). As it turns out, the clerk’s granddaughter went to the Broadhurst (Gaborone) congregation. The clerk was nice enough to help us on her lunch hour.

We left Gaborone for Mahalapye, and just as we left town Hazel said that she left her coat at the KFC we ate lunch at. We turned around, went back, and sure enough, there it was. They had put it in back.

We arrived in Mahalapye at 5 pm, the time when Jackson was supposed to meet us at the hotel. We got here, checked in, took some pictures, and Jackson arrived. With him was Jimmy Phokeng, who is going to go with us. He asked at worship Sunday if he could go with us, and Oscar agreed, provided he take care of his own lodging (Oscar said that he would provide food for him). Oscar thinks it should be no problem finding lodging with the brethren for him.

Jimmy is from the Shoshong congregation, which is about 41 km from Mahalapye. He preaches there part of the time. Several people from Shoshong and from Mojang had come to the Mowana congregation (where we had worshipped at) to see us Sunday. Mojang is about 500 meters behind our hotel (a couple of miles from the Mowana church).
Jackson and Jimmy left about 6 pm, with Jackson going to get the tracts, saying he would return about 6:30. Dinner wouldn’t start until then, so we went to Oscar’s room. It was then that I realized that my suit was still in the room in Gaborone! I have to call the hotel in the morning to tell them I will be back in September to pick it up. I’ll have to buy a suit in Francistown tomorrow.

Jackson returned with his wife, and we had a very pleasant dinner. Jackson and his wife are very nice. The Botswana people on the whole are very nice, humble people.

8-6-96
Jimmy met us at the road to Francistown, and so we went. In Francistown I looked around for a suit, finally found one, then we ate lunch while it was being altered.

We left Francistown much later than we had intended, and arrived at Nata near sunset (the sun sets about 6:30 pm). It was probably 5. We got our chalets at the Nata Lodge, then went the 7 km to the village to find Mosi. We found his compound, but he was at a wake (a memorial, at a compound we had stopped to ask directions at, it’s possible he might have seen us). We told his daughter we would come by in the morning to see him, and we returned to the lodge.

The river by his house was the first I’ve seen with water in it. We have passed several large (150 ft. or so), dry river beds. They only have water when the rains come.

Mosi came to the lodge with Keeboray. The wake had been for a relative of Mosi’s (not the same funeral as the one described next). He told us that Gao was arranging the funerals for his own cousin and niece, who have just been murdered, one stabbed, the other an ax to the neck. Drinking that got out of hand. The man who killed them, upon realizing what he had done, hung himself.

As we had arrived too late to arrange for a place for Jimmy to stay, he stayed with me (there are three beds in each chalet (really an A-frame)).

We went to dinner, and after a while Jimmy started talking with one of the waitresses. We heard him say Mosi’s name as they talked (in Setswana). After they finished he turned to me and said she had gone to the church before, and that she knew who Mosi was. He had said to her that Mosi was the one she needed to see to study with, to learn. Oscar said we had the “God & Man” tracts, so I went and got one out of the truck. Jimmy gave it to her, and got her address. The other waitresses (about 4) had been watching, and after Jimmy had given the tract to the first waitress, as she walked off one of the other waitresses took it from her to look at it. So I went to the truck to get more! By the time I had returned, Jimmy had gotten all of the addresses of the waitresses (except one). We gave them all the tracts, Jimmy writing inside the front cover of each one who it was given to, and the name “Church of Christ”. We told them we would be back (the campaigns).

When Jimmy had first turned to me, he had asked if we had an introduction to a correspondence course (they weren’t ready when we had left Mahalapye), and that’s when Oscar mentioned the tract.
When we had gone to Mosi’s, we had passed the church building. The roof was gone, and the walls were cracked. Oscar was very sad to see this.

Tomorrow morning we see Mosi, and then off to Maun. If I hadn’t left my suit in Gaborone, Jimmy wouldn’t have been at the lodge with us, to get their names. We later baptized 5 people from the lodge. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose”, Romans 8:28.

8-7-96
I am very tired, so this may be short.

I took a cold shower last night (no hot water), then went to bed. It is cold at night, and there is no heat in the rooms. It warms up quick in the day, though.

We went to pick up Mosi, then went to see if Gao was coming. He will take the bus later, because of the funerals.

We stopped in Gweta on the way to Maun, to eat lunch and to see Tlale. Not a good report. He travels in his job, and there is no other preacher there. He didn’t appear real excited that we were there. Not unhappy, just a little uncomfortable.

When we arrived in Maun, we went to see George Bendu. He wasn’t home, so we went to get our rooms. Tonight we are at the Sedia Hotel.

We are booked from tomorrow through the 12th at the Island Safari Lodge, at a much cheaper rate. They were much friendlier, too, very willing to help us, unlike where we are tonight. This is peak season, when all the Europeans are on holiday; they just swarm the place, and everything’s booked. The woman at the I.S.L. is going to get us lodging from the 13th through the 18th, somewhere, somehow. We believe her. A very helpful, flexible woman.

Again Jimmy got the names and addresses of the waitresses at lunch (and one at breakfast back at Nata). He is a very natural talker, real personable.

Mosi and I are sharing a room. We talked a bit about when Royal Oak stopped supporting the work, how they felt about it here. He said they had been upset, and that they didn’t understand why it happened. From something he said in passing, it sounded as though some less mature Christians fell away afterwards. He said that R.O. didn’t act very Christian.

That is the problem here, he said, people are not honest (meaning sincere), and don’t stick with the faith. He said they need someone to study with them.

8-8-96
Jimmy is great at approaching people. Everywhere we eat he talks to the staff.

This hotel is much better than the Sedia, and cheaper. We will be here through the morning of the 13th, hopefully longer (if there are any cancellations). It would be nice not to have to move.

We met with the paramount chief of Maun, a courtesy to him to ask his permission to preach in his village. We went to his office; Chombo is a clerk there, and he brought us to him. We would have gone through Bendu, who is a head man in Maun, but we missed him (Mosi, who is very much for protocol, worried that Bendu might be angry at us for not going through him, but he wasn’t).

The paramount chief is a very young man, perhaps 25, a year out of school (he studied law). It goes by lineage, the office does. The man has great difficulties facing him, as a disease has infected the cattle here, forcing their destruction. These men are cattlemen, and it has turned their world upside-down. In addition, it has not rained in a very long time, and they have a lack of water. The river has dried up. We had a prayer together in his office, Oscar speaking, Chombo, Mosi, Jimmy, and myself present. Very good prayer Oscar made.

Oscar wants me to continue this work. He pulled me aside once, then once when I said that David (my son) had wanted to come, he said he could come next time, he would be the right age then. I will comment on all of this later.

I am surrounded by preachers, and I am expected to preach several times. Oh boy, am I in trouble.

Mosi and Oscar love to joke with each other, cutting each other down.

I am homesick.

Well, I have sermons to write, so I am ending this.

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Later that evening…
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Just came back from talking with Oscar about what is going to take place over the next several days in Maun. He assigned me my tasks (preaching), and then we talked and laughed (Hazel, too) for awhile. Christian fellowship is so wonderful.

A word about the paramount chief. He was visibly troubled by what he is facing regarding his people. He was sincerely open to us, welcoming our campaign, not just lip service. And as Oscar said, how many leaders would let you pray with them in their office? I was impressed by him, Oscar, too.

8-9-96
Again, evening has come quickly. We went shopping after breakfast. We went to the bookstore so I could get David a Setswana-English book (this is what he asked for). I found two that I got him, a dictionary and a phrase book. Mosi was very helpful, he suggested at breakfast that we go find a bookstore so I could get the book (I had mentioned it at lunch in Gweta on Wednesday), then he went and found the phrasebook, and then checked if they had the dictionary in back.

After looking around the bookstore and paying, I walked outside. Mosi says, “Do you know this man?” He was pointing at a bulletin board. I looked, and it was an advertisement for our meetings! It was in Setswana (they translated for me); under “Speakers”, it read:

Steven Carney (USA)
Oscar Glover (USA)

Bendu had posted flyers all over Maun (we later saw one at the post office, to which Oscar asked Mosi, “Are you sure it doesn’t say ‘Wanted’?”). When Oscar came out of the store, Mosi did the same to him as he had done to me.

On Wednesday morning the woman from the Best Western in Francistown (her name is “Tiny”) called to say they had found my suit in Gaborone, and would hold it until I returned. We had stopped at the Best Western in Francistown, hoping it would help if they called. I had called and called, “We haven’t found it, we are looking, call back”. So Tiny called (by the way, she was neither tiny, nor fat), same answer. I left the info with Tiny (her suggestion), that I would be back in Gaborone in September to pick it up. We went on to Nata. The next morning she called us at the lodge in Nata. Now, I had not told her where we would be staying; she tracked us down (there are only two western-style hotels (lodges) in Nata, but still, she had only known we were headed for Nata). What service! So my suit is waiting for me in Gaborone.

We are going to Toteng tomorrow morning, to preach to the brethren there. My first sermon (albeit a short one, only 5-10 minutes). I am excited. I wrote it today, it is on the supremacy of Christ, as an intro to Oscar’s, which is on hope.

Mosi is hilarious. He comes out with some things that are just devastatingly funny. Oscar, too. The two of them together, they are funny.

I am very glad that I came. Oscar said we would have a lot of fun, and we are. I am homesick, be sure of that, but only when I have time to think about it, which isn’t very often.

Hazel is certainly mother to us, just like a den mother.

8-10-96
Well, I blinked my eyes, and here it is evening again. It is literally amazing how fast time is passing. All at once, time is speeding by, yet it feels as if I have been here much longer than a week. In some ways, even when I was at Metro airport seems like a lifetime ago. So much of the unknown is becoming known. There are six weeks to go, yet that seems so long (for I miss home), yet the days are going by so quick that I think when I reach the end I will think, “Already?”

In some ways this land is quite beautiful, and quite barren. Here in Maun (my favorite area so far), they are in the fifth year of a drought. There are boats here at the lodge, and a seawall, and the river is completely dry. Yet, the trees are green. Amazing (there are wells, of course, but no surface water).

Went to Toteng, didn’t preach. We had two restorations, and three wanting to be baptized, but Bendu has to find water to baptize them. He had a spot, but now it’s closed off. No water to baptize, unimaginable in the U.S.

The two who were restored had fallen into denominationalism because the preacher had died. They held on as long as they could, but as neither of them could read, they had no one to lead them. Oscar emphasized that they had to meet together, and take the Lord’s Supper, that they can do that, and must.

Studied, and wrote another short sermon today, on prophecies of Christ.

8-11-96
Last night before dinner, Oscar said it would be nice if I could continue the work here in Botswana. He told me how it had seeped in and took hold of him, and wouldn’t leave. I told him I would talk to him at a later time, that I had no answer to give, but I also told him that it’s starting to seep into me also, more like a vine twisting it’s way up my leg. It is no longer a picture on a board, it is fleshed out.

Tonight (hopefully), is when I will first preach. It will be at 6:30 pm (that’s when it’s supposed to be, anyway). Well, I have to finish getting ready for worship (it’s morning).

It is now night (after 9), and back home (the U.S.) they have probably finished lunch (after morning worship) and arrived home.

Preaching is not much different from teaching. It is a bit more straightforward, just a different crowd.

Tonight was mostly people from the Maun congregation. Hazel seems pretty sure that there were others, I don’t know. We preached outside the school (it was cooler) by lantern. Stopping all the time for an interpreter breaks up the flow, though, and things take a long time to say. But the important thing is that it is being said.

I’m comfortable here, I wish I was home. I’m having a great time, I wish I was home. I don’t really wish I was home, but I miss it. I hope everyone is okay.

John Ndolo and Gao arrived today. We didn’t know John was coming, He’s sleeping on the floor in Mosi and Jimmy’s rondoval.

Tomorrow morning the men are going door-knocking, so to speak.

8-12-96
Well, talk about contrasts. I forgot that I had the key and that the room was locked, and I walked off after lunch. As I came back I remembered Gao was locked out, so I went to Mosi’s to tell him it was open, and to apologize. He said it was okay, he was fine. What seemed strange was that Jimmy, Gao, and John were all lying around listening to the radio, on which was Guns-N-Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. The West is everywhere. At the restaurant/bar here they play a variety, from Michael Bolton to “Gangsta’s Paradise”. Mostly mid-80’s British pop. Jimmy and Gao are both 37 or 38, and I don’t know how old John is, probably about my age. It can be hard to guess, Mosi looks younger than 59, and Gao, even after knowing his age, I would put at no more than 25-27.

I went out looking for the monkeys this afternoon to get a picture (we had seen them at lunch), and I couldn’t find them. Came back, they were walking across my porch!

The turnout from non-Christians has been much less than I anticipated, I don’t know if any have come. Good turnout from the congregation, though.

Hazel is downright vibrant! Never seen her this way.

The lantern at the meeting wasn’t working too well. There were flames everywhere around it, when it finally did light. Everyone scattered, and they threw a lot of sand on it to put it out. It smelled like propane, yet what I’ve seen in stores is called paraffin.

Preached again, I think I like it.

8-13-96
We’ve moved to Audi camp, and are sleeping in tents the next three nights; then back to I.S.L. for two, then back here for two (only Oscar, Hazel, and me; the others are staying here at Audi). Not a bad setup, they have a pool (so did I.S.L.); we will try to get it to baptize in.

All of the lodges (except the Best Western in Gaborone) have been run by Europeans (they are either South African or Australian here, young adults).

8-15-96
Haven’t written much lately, I have had neither the time nor the inclination. I gave Steve Woodhouse’s sermon last night. It took about 50 minutes, but only seemed about 20 or 30. Afterwards there were about four or five questions, which Oscar handled quite well.

This is our third day in tents. Tomorrow it’s back to I.S.L. for two days, then back for two more here, then that should be the end of the tents.

The men have been going through the village in the mornings, trying to get people to come at night.

We have a good lunch spot, and a good dinner spot.

Tomorrow we will be baptizing those from Toteng (Lord willing). This will entail driving the 70km there to get them in the morning, then coming back here to baptize them, then taking them back home. A full day.

No preaching today or tomorrow for me, then a short intro on Sat. and Sun., then a full one on Monday (my own).

Well, I am closing now. I have written four postcards and this, and I have to study, and write two intros.

Oscar just poked his head in and said he would like to go over to I.S.L. to see if we can get the pool to baptize in. I’ll study later!

We have just returned from inquiring about the pool, and picking up the men, and lunch. The owner at I.S.L. said “with pleasure” we could use the pool.

Now it is no longer comfortable in the tent, it is hot. Soon it will be unbearable. It is about 1:45 pm It was comfortable this morning, cold last night. It has been windy in the morning, still in the evening. The breeze has almost stopped now, just small gusts.

The sunlight is much more penetrating here than at home. It is hot. It is odd to think that now, August, it is starting to be spring, and will only get hotter; that to go north is warmer, and driving is fully backwards (or rather, opposite). Driving on the left side of the road, shifting with my left hand, it’s all becoming quite natural.

8-16-96
I am exhausted, yet I still have to get showered (as soon as I finish this) and go to the meeting tonight.

I just got back from Toteng; it’s been a long (but short) day. We baptized seven people today, with three people we couldn’t find. We have no way of notifying anyone ahead of time that we’re coming, so it’s hard. We left Toteng without two people, they were out gathering wood. It isn’t pleasant deciding that they would have to wait, but we had no choice. We didn’t know where they were, and we had to come back because others were waiting. Now we will have to find another opportunity, which we may not be able to. Bendu will have to handle it somehow.

Tonight the sermon was on God’s grace. Enough said.

I feel a little guilty coming back to the lodge with the men in tents at Audi. If we could’ve gotten the extra room, we would have.

I will be preaching my sermon Sunday night, the last meeting here in Maun. Oscar then will give a closer. I have to work on my sermon tomorrow.

I’m so tired.

We’ve already been here over two weeks; it’s gone by very fast.

We’ve only been here two weeks; it seems like a lifetime.

I miss my home, my bathroom, my bed.

8-17-96
Why am I here? Do I really believe in God, have I given my life to Him?

Hazel said to me in the car that I have been such a help to them; that they couldn’t have gotten done what they have gotten done without me. Oscar then said the same. But I feel as though I’ve done nothing.

What have I really done? I’ve driven the vehicle, taken the men into town, preached a little, taken the video. That’s it.

What bothers me is what seems to be my inability to tell people about Christ with conviction. I care about people, I love people (do I?). I want to preach because of that (meaning that I want to preach out of caring, not out of selfish reasons), not because of selfishness. For I am selfish. From the time of memory till now, I am selfish. Also, I have always acted out of reaction, instead of proaction.

I believe in my heart of hearts that God exists, and that Jesus is His Son. But have I really given my life to Him?

The way I am has certainly changed because of Him. Things that I used to do happily I now loathe. But how do I spend my strength?

Oscar says that we are mainly here to strengthen the brethren, to prod them on. That it is they who need to do the actual evangelizing. If we convert people, great; but that isn’t why we are here.

I am waking up, and I don’t like what I see of myself. I have held myself up for too long. I need to let Christ hold me up. I have grown weary, and I need to regain my strength. I know that some (a lot) of the weariness comes from reining myself in for so long. I have been on the defensive for so long that I don’t even know what offense is.

My failure to discern and divide the Word properly in the past has left a chain around my leg, but I held the key all this time, I just didn’t see it. I have wasted a lot of my life. The question is, what do I do now?

I must find my talent. I know it isn’t in going up to people cold; the sooner I accept that, the happier I’ll be. But I have to find the way that I can work. How are people saved, except they hear what saves them?

8-18-96
Worship day. And a whole lot else.

Mosi has been sick; he has problems with chronic malaria. Right now we think it’s only a cold (or the flu), but he’s hardly eaten for two days. He hadn’t gone out with the others in the morning on Friday or Saturday, nor to the evening meetings. He went with us to worship this morning.

John found out that someone from his congregation has been stabbed to death with a spear. He and Mosi were going to leave today, but we had the wrong information and missed the bus.

There was a toddler sucking on a pencil at worship this morning, so Hazel has taken out her shoulder pads to give to the kids this evening (yes, shoulder pads).

I am speaking this evening, my own sermon, on the sufferings of Christ.

Another man was baptized yesterday, a brother of one of the men baptized on Friday (he hadn’t been home on Friday).

I moved back to Audi today (though I am with Oscar and Hazel in their room at I.S.L. at the moment), I have a tent to myself.

The time here in Maun has gone by very quickly. Tonight is the last meeting, tomorrow we go to Makalamabedi, then Tuesday to Victoria Falls. I have to start taking the malaria pills tomorrow. Next Sunday is the halfway point, and this week is going to go very quickly, I believe.

I am very tired, it is late, and I have to get up early. As Oscar said earlier, you really don’t have time to get bored here.

The sermon went well, a little short. That’s okay, I can expand on the end (it needs it. I just summed it up tonight. I can really flesh it out).

8-19-96
Went to drop off Mosi and John at the bus stop this morning. Then I went to I.S.L. to get my laundry, Oscar & Hazel, and a shower.

The shower episode I handled terribly. I felt guilty about using Oscar & Hazel’s shower while Jimmy and Gao were still here at Audi. So I tried to do it quietly. I asked Gao whether they (Jimmy and Gao) wanted to stay here while I dropped off John and Mosi, and picked up Hazel. I said Oscar and Hazel were waiting for us for breakfast, but as we were just finishing breakfast here, there wasn’t anything to do there, blah, blah (or I mumbled something to that effect). Jimmy said he wanted to go somewhere in town, since I was going to be there. I went to get the truck, wondering what to do. To make a long story short, they didn’t go, I took a shower, and I felt incredibly guilty. I could have handled it so much easier. Learning the hard way again.

Went to Makalamabedi, about 8 women and over 20 children. I think two of the women wanted baptism. We couldn’t do it now, the river is dry. Bendu will handle it. One of the women there was a Christian. The men were off cutting grass.

We met under a large Makala tree – it was HOT today, but under the tree, and with the breeze, it was cool.

The name of the place means “the two Makala trees”. Seems that the chiefs of the central district and the northwest district met there, each camping under a Makala tree. Gao told me.

Talked with Gao for a long time this afternoon. He is a very good man. He said to me, “If you take two years of Bible, you will be a great man, your sermons are very good.” I had said how I would like to go to school. I don’t know about great.

We talked about a lot of things. I really like him (and not because he said that about me!).

We go to Victoria Falls tomorrow, have to get an early start; it’s six hours on unpaved road. Took my first malaria pill (Hazel asked me if I had earlier, I said no, she became a mother instantly). I must pack now.

8-20-96
I am sitting in Oscar and Hazel’s room at the I.S.L., having just showered, waiting for them to return from dropping off Jimmy and Gao. Hazel just walked in.

Now we are on the road.

8-21-96
We are at Ray Sullins’ house in Victoria Falls. We arrived last night. Jerry (his father) and his wife are here, also. They are all very nice, and have made us to feel at home. Beautiful home. We are out on the porch, which is about square, about 15 ft. on a side. They border a game reserve.

We went through the Chobe, a very rough ride. My back is very sore, and I have marks from the seatbelt on me.

8-22-96
Time to catch up on everything. It is early, no one is up yet.

The ride through the Chobe was misery. Oscar was in a hurry to make the border by 1800 hrs. (it closes), so he drove fast. The road was almost just a trail (it was a trail).

The auxiliary tank on the truck has a hose coupling from the inlet pipe to the tank, which has always allowed fumes into the back of the truck, and on the trip the gas expanded so much, and with the bouncing, that some things got gas on them, and everything smelled(s) like gas to an extent. The “God and man” tracts had gas on them. My bag with my Bibles, notebooks, misc. stuff had gas on it, but it didn’t penetrate. Also we had two water containers burst, so there were water-soaked bags (on the bottom of the bags). My duffel bag with my clothes in it was wet, and on the whites you could tell that it had been well-water. Cindy (Ray’s wife) dried my clothes and washed my whites, in addition to the jeans that had gas on them.

We went to Victoria Falls yesterday. What a wonder. Awesome. The water level was low, so two of the falls had no water, but that was good (for us), since the mist would have been too great. It was great anyway, you could see the walls of the gorge, and rocks down by the river. It drops into a gorge, and you can walk the length of it on the opposite side. Watched someone bungee jump off the bridge (further down, around the bend). The falls drop approximately 100 meters.

On the ride here (through the Chobe) we saw giraffes, elephants, kudus, deer, I saw zebras. Last night we went out with a spotlight (while driving), saw some buffalo.

Ray and Cindy’s daughter Nicky (Nikki?) (she just told me that she is three) is in here playing peek-a-boo as I’m writing this. She’s been acting shy around me (until now).

8-23-96
It is early, and I’ve gone out on the porch to be alone. Other showers are going, soon everyone will be up. It’s overcast, and slightly cool.

Yesterday we went curio shopping (more today), ate lunch at a hotel that overlooked a watering hole, then went on a game drive through the park (Victoria Falls National Park), then went to African dancing, then went home.

I bought elephant bookends (asked $650, paid $420), small animals for the kids (4 for $100, asked $44 each), an elephant for the Pragers (asked $550, paid $265), a pencil basket for work (Marked $85, paid $45), and a T-shirt for David ($103.35). The exchange rate was approximately $10 Zimbabwe to $1 U.S. (all prices stated in Zim dollars!).

At lunch we saw 4 Kudu, an herd of deer-type animal, and baboons at the watering hole (also a warthog). There were no animals when we came, and they left just before we did. The baboons were fighting, chasing each other around. That’s how we spotted the warthog, it ended up in the middle of a baboon fight. They didn’t bother each other.

The game drive was very fruitful. We saw guinea fowl, kudu, buffalo (a herd of literally hundreds and hundreds), deer, a giraffe, and elephants. One herd of elephants we saw numbered more than thirty. They were crossing the road and walking alongside us, eating. Adults and babies. We watched them for awhile. They were no more than fifty feet away.

The dancing did nothing for me, though the first act was a marimba band, all marimbas (bass ones, tenor, etc.), made of wood and/or gourds. They were alright.

There was a man baptized in the morning, in the Zambezi, just above the falls. There were rock shelves in the river (you could almost cross dry, and it’s the width of the Detroit River (well, maybe not; but it is very wide), but with islands), which made pools near shore, and that is where they baptized the man.

More shopping, $180 for two ebony walking sticks (asked $160 each), two elephants for $190 (asked $180 each), two giraffe plaques ($20 U.S., $100 Zim), one hippo and one rhino for $110, and one large rhino for P70 & $20 Zim.

8-24-96
I am sitting in a rondoval in Gweta, the lodge there. It is a bit of a dive (especially the bathroom). It is shelter, though.

In restaurants in Africa, it takes up to an hour or more to get your food once you’ve ordered (thought I’d write that while thinking about it. Also, Mosi snores (he’s sleeping right now)).

It was nice at the Sullins’. It went by in the blink of an eye. Jerry kept saying I should be the first American to attend the school. Methinks that would be considered a permanent leave of absence from work! In some ways it would be a good thing to do (especially if I pursue mission work), some ways not so good. The school is in the middle of nowhere in Zambia. This lends to good studying, but the school is in the middle of nowhere in Zambia! Ray teaches there now, but he’s going back to the States in October, to work for the Truth For the World media ministry.

Jerry gave Oscar and myself a lot of books when we visited the school yesterday. He gave me thirteen (!), Oscar about the same. Books they use for textbooks, brand new. He just kept going, “Here. Want one of these? Got one on this?” I have plenty of books for my new bookends.

Tonight is my first under mosquito netting. Odd.

Can see the Milky Way here. Cool.

I want to go home. Soon.

Very tired. Goodnight.

8-25-96
Today was very relaxing. We worshiped here in Gweta. There were seven Christians (counting us), and some visitors, including two of the waitresses from the lodge here, whom Jimmy had talked to when we went through here on the way to Maun on the 7th. They have come here (church of Christ) before. We will be studying with them at 10 pm tonight, when they finish work. There may be a third coming.

Today after worship, I read one of the books Jerry gave me, titled “A General Introduction to the Bible.” I didn’t read it all, there are 600 some-odd pages. Very good background on the manuscripts, etc. I was very much on edge yesterday (driving 500 km may have had something to do with it), and now I feel much better.

8-26-96
Four women came last night, and all four are being baptized today. We baptized two at 8:30 am, and now we are about to go with the other two (it is about 10 am).

When we got to Tlale’s with these two, there was one woman at his house to be baptized, also (she had been to worship Sunday). Then, when we were at the pond, another girl who had been to worship came by and wanted to be baptized, so she was.

Right now we are in Zoroga, waiting for Mosi, who is rounding up the Christians. It might be awhile, and we are sitting in the truck in the shade, munching and waiting.

We are going back to Zoroga tomorrow, all the people (most of them) were at a court hearing.

We are back at the Nata Lodge, I’m in the same room I was in three weeks ago. Hot water, but not when we first got here. Had to have them come light the heater. This is the first bed since Gaborone that is not worn out (the mattress). This is also the nicest place we’ve stayed, and we’re booked through when we leave (the 13th?). It will be nice not to have to move.

At Gweta, they played the Police’s greatest hits at lunch (and dinner), and here at dinner it was Simon & Garfunkel’s greatest hits. (At Gweta the bar and restaurant were in the same pavilion, here they are close together (music is at the bar)).

The rumor of a member of John’s congregation being killed with a spear was false.

We are booked pretty solidly through Thursday, a lot of studies.

8-27-96
I am forcing myself to write, lately. I just don’t have the desire, however, if I don’t, I think that later I will regret it.

Today we went to Zoroga (ZA-ROW-HA). We waited while Jimmy and Mosi rounded everyone up. We were sitting in the truck under a tree, with the doors open. A group of children gathered around, about ten ft. away, watching us, not daring to come closer. A few of the boys were edging closer, daring each other. One motioned to me to come out, but I motioned to him back, smiling, but he wouldn’t. They were laughing, nervously, and trying to sneak up on us. I lay down on the back seat, and one of them swiped at my hair. I would hold out my hand for them to touch, but the one motioned that I would grab with the other one. It was a game. We would move, they would take off (not far, no more than twenty ft. or so). Eventually a lot of the girls came up and we talked with them.

24 people, including the head man, are being baptized tomorrow. We have to go get them, there is no water there, and bring them here (there is some water (salt) in the Nata River). It is 40 km (25 miles) to Zoroga from here. For this reason, we borrowed Keboree’s truck, also. Then, as I was leaving Nata, I saw John Ndolo, and convinced him to use his truck, too. He may or may not be there, it’s hard to say. I hope so, it would mean we could make it in one trip. This would be helpful as there are three women from the lodge (workers) who are being baptized at 11 am.

At 10:30 pm two more women are coming to study.

Forgot to mention that we saw vultures twice today, the first time we’ve seen any. These are large birds, and quite beautiful in their own way. They are brown (dark) with black neck and heads. They were eating by the side of the road, some on the carcass, the rest near or circling overhead (no room left on the carcass). The carcass was (I think) a donkey we had seen on the way out, lying in the ditch, another donkey standing next to it, and I think I had seen it move (that’s what had caught my attention).

8-28-96
Three weeks from today I will be home. We are scheduled to arrive at 4:20 pm, approximately the time it is here right now.

Tomorrow we will be going to Francistown. We had planned to go today, but instead we baptized 22 people; 18 from Zoroga (6 left there yet), 4 from Nata (they work here at the lodge).

Didn’t get to bed until 1 am last night because we were studying with some women from here after they got off work. 2 were baptized today.

Mosi and I left at 8 this morning to go to Zoroga, we got back at about 9:30. We baptized them right in the river behind his home. Everything went well, we were all finished about 4:00 pm (this included lunch after taking them back to Zoroga, then baptizing the women from here. Three of them were supposed to be baptized at 11, but only one was at the pickup spot. We waited a little, then after taking O & H back to the lodge, I went back to get the rest of the people to take back to Zoroga, and one of the other women was there. I said we were baptizing another woman at 2, we would do her then. It then turns out that the woman who was going to be baptized Monday came today, so we baptized three this afternoon. The last woman from this morning had decided she wanted to study more, first).

It is a beautiful day today, very comfortable. At least 10-15 degrees cooler than the last couple of weeks. It has been HOT!

There is an ostrich farm here at the lodge, behind our room. I can look out the window and see them going by (right now, as I write).

8-29-96
Today we (O,H, & I) went to Francistown. It is 175 km from here (Nata), so it takes a bit to get there.

We went to the bank first, then we went looking for skins. The BGI that had skins the last time Oscar was here, we got there and there were no pelts, only skins prepared for clothing (or whatever). We were disappointed.

We ate lunch at KFC, then walked around the plaza it was in. We came across a store with a few pelts (I bought two small ones for me, a huge one sewn together in a design for the Pragers). Mine was P77.98.

We then went and bought metal trunks to ship the curios home in. I also bought a tie.

On the way home, I got caught in a speed trap. I was clocked at 99 km in a 80 km zone. The fine was P125. Ouch (much cheaper than in the States, though). I took it humorously at first, almost laughing as he wrote the receipt, but later I lost my humor about it.

As we were waiting for dinner time, a young man knocked on our door. He had heard from the women here and wanted to learn about Christ. So we studied with him (he works here at the lodge). We shall baptize him tomorrow.

While we were studying, a mouse was running under the bed. Eventually he ran by the door, and we let him out.

8-30-96
We baptized that man today. We ran around getting fuel and mantles for the lantern. The valve on Mosi’s tank didn’t work right, so the man (Peter) is letting us borrow a tank.

When the moon is out, it is so bright it hides all but the brightest stars.

Oscar told me the other day that this is the best way to do this work, sending the men into the villages, because of the language. Then, today, I heard him say to Mosi, “Do you want Steve to go with you tomorrow?”, then he poked his head in the truck and said, “Mosi said that you’re to go with him tomorrow.”

During the day, when you step out of the room the flies immediately descend upon you. It is very annoying having a large fly buzzing constantly around my head and under my nose.

Laundry hasn’t been a problem.

The food here at the lodge is very good.

8-31-96
Went out with Mosi and Jimmy today. It was quite eventful. This morning we ran into the policeman who gave me the ticket. We got a great laugh out of it. Mosi said, “He set you straight, now you set him straight!”, or something like that, to me. It was funny. They (he and his friend) have said they will go to the meetings.

We visited two people who have fallen away. As I am the guest, Mosi taught me, I have to take the most comfortable chair. He told me this because I had declined the chair so Mosi could sit. So, also, I am the one to teach, and preach. I was unprepared for teaching someone who has fallen away, so the first one was awkward. That, and she would give no real reason as to why she quit going to the church, and started at a denomination. Hopefully she will come tomorrow.

Afterward Mosi said that sometimes the spiritual churches will offer jobs, healings, etc., so people go. The native religions offer gods that give protection, luck, etc.

The second said he would come to worship tomorrow, and gave us permission to speak to his family, which we did, later. Mosi knows this man from a long time back, and it is probably his health problems that caused his falling away.

Next we went to a member’s house, whose mother is gravely ill. The mother is not a Christian. Mosi said perhaps we could pray for her, or offer words of comfort. But how can you give comfort in a situation such as this? Mosi said that we probably couldn’t teach her, and I agreed (though now I have mixed feelings about that. However, her daughter is a Christian, so hopefully she has been taught). The sister of the Christian went to a denomination (I think), but she said that since she was created by God, and was a child of God, she couldn’t be baptized. We showed her the separation that sin caused, and taught her, and she said it was clear, and she would think about it.

After lunch we went to see a woman, who is a relative of someone from Zoroga who was baptized. She sent word (her husband did) to Mosi that she wanted to be baptized; the woman from Zoroga had told her about it. She needed to be taught, so we went (Mosi & myself). Her and five of her children want to be baptized, they have accepted the gospel. The first people who I have taught who accepted. She wants to consult her husband first (it is a custom), he wasn’t there, so we are returning Monday.

As I was starting this day’s entry, a man came to Oscar asking for a bible. He had with him certificates from WBS (he is the father of the young man here we baptized yesterday. They both work at the lodge). It turns out he attends a “Church of Christ” that is really a denomination, and Mosi has talked with him about it before. He also hasn’t been baptized. We didn’t give him one, but told him if he obeys the gospel we will give him one. He has said he will come tomorrow (we talked to him the other night, and he had said he would).

When studying with people (literally preaching), I understand now why Oscar goes into such detail. I tried to just hit the high points (it still takes a little while), and it felt as if I hadn’t said near enough. Yet people said they understood clearly. It truly is the Word, and not the man. I am saying this so my head won’t swell, and so I make sure the credit goes where it belongs, and to keep straight in my head that we are told to sow the Word, and He gives the increase. And I must keep straight in my head and my heart that this is for their benefit, not mine.

9-2-96
September already. Time certainly flies.

Yesterday we worshipped at Nata and at Manxotai. At Nata it was under a tree, as the building was destroyed by the rains. We started earlier than they usually do, and we don’t think everyone was notified. Some people were showing up during the course of worship, and we gave the Lord’s Supper at the end.

We got to Manxotai at 2. It is a small building, not really a building. It consists of poles and sticks stuck in the ground, with a roof. The roof was in disrepair. There was a large turnout, many non-Christians. There were so many kids sitting on the floor that I couldn’t get to the back when giving the Lord’s Supper.

I have to talk about (well, write about) the road to Manxotai. It was a pleasurable ride. It was a wide dirt (sand) road, and most of the bumps were long, easy ones. There was shallow sand, deep sand. The trees lining the road were reddish color (the leaves), and it reminded me of a fall drive on a back road at home. Then there were tall trees as we left the main road, we drove through a forest. Mosi said this was Eldred Echols’ favorite place (in Botswana?). We crossed the dry river bed at a “hand-made” “bridge”, a four-wheel drive low-water crossing. Great fun. Get to drive the main road again, but much further; it’s the road to Sepako.

Today we are going to get the mother and children to baptize.

9-3-96
When we got to the woman’s home, there was another child (these are older children, from 13 to early 20’s, I would guess) who wanted baptism, and the mother wouldn’t come. Her husband and her were saying she had a bad leg, but Mosi believes she had been drinking (this is 9:30 am). We made sure the other child understood, then baptized them.

After returning from town, I realized I didn’t have the room key. So I had to get them to let me in the room (it turns out Jimmy didn’t have it, he had left it in the back seat of the truck when we had dropped them in town). Then, I locked it in the room. Also, I was late for everything yesterday.

We (Jimmy and I) went to study with a young woman yesterday, we were late leaving the lodge (my fault), so we missed her at work. We found out where she lived and went. Two of her friends also sat in (she stayed with 4 other women (all early 20’s), they are nurses, in town on a work program of sorts, they aren’t from Nata). One of the friends left during the study, and when we were done I asked if there were any questions. The other friend then asked about baptism. She believed the Baptist doctrine of saved through faith, and we went back and forth for a while, but she staunchly believed in salvation without baptism. The woman we went to study with (who Jimmy had said didn’t even know the books of the Bible) said no, so we left.

Bendu arrived late last night.

Yesterday was a long day.

The meetings didn’t start last night, the school had something going on, and we couldn’t use the building.

Now it is night.

There is no moon, and it is literally dark. The sky is truly black, with an incredible amount of stars. At the school, after we were finished, we were outside, nothing around us taller than a one-story building (a few trees, short ones, here and there), no lights, only a flashlight. Mosi turned off the flashlight, it was almost unreal. It was as if the sky were almost on top of us, a canopy, truly black. Even here, at the lodge, with a few electric lights and some tall trees, it is very impressive.

Today, many things happened. We met the chief of Nata. That was first. Then we split up, Mosi & I one way, Gao, Bendu, & Jimmy another. We went to the school first, to make sure we had a room for this evening. Sure enough, there was a problem. We saw the superintendent (principal), and he had been told we were going to be holding a seminar (here that means, or implies, we would be serving food, also). Also, there has been an end to allowing churches the use of school buildings for worship. So we explained what we needed, and what we were doing, and he said he needed to call his bosses (or whomever was an authority in this matter. Originally he said he would tell us at 3, but Mosi told him we needed to let the children know so they could tell their parents, so he asked us to wait outside, and he would check). We were called back in, and there were two women in there that weren’t there at first. He said he decided not to check, that since we only wanted use for 3 days, and since he didn’t have a problem with churches using the rooms for worship (his personal feelings), he agreed to let us use it. Then we went in the room to tell the kids to tell their parents.

While we were resting under a tree, two women walked up, we said hello, they set their purses down, and walked off to go to the stores. We couldn’t believe it, they just left their purses. After we watched them go from store to store, they came back (5 to 10 minutes). Mosi knew who they were, they had bought or sold with his wife, they were from Zimbabwe. When they came back, we invited them, turns out one of them had lived with a church of Christ preacher (and his family) from 1977 – 1984. She hadn’t known there was a congregation here for a while, then said she didn’t go because she didn’t understand Setswana that well. Turns out Mosi speaks their language, told her he could translate for her. They came to the meeting tonight. The lessons were in Setswana & English only (he meant to translate at worship). She knows English.

Met Benjamin today. He says there is no God. He would be good on the Lord’s side (if we could convert him. At least Mosi and I think so). Deep convictions, magnetic personality. Very open, straightforward. Willingly debated. We’re sending Oscar.

A lot of people showed up for the meeting (including the two Zimbabwean women). It went well. My sermon was on studying, Oscar’s on the covenants.

9-5-96
Only a few moments before we go. We are going to go baptize a woman I converted yesterday (the Lord converted, I just preach). I shall comment more on our day (yesterday) later, but first the night.

Last night four people showed up. We went from a full room, down to four people. I gave the lesson on the one church. A lot of children showed up after we finished.

Yesterday we went through what Bendu called the drunk part of town. Morning till night, they never stop. Every house we went to (4), there was someone who had been baptized in the past who doesn’t attend. Mosi said later that they have baptized over 100 people here in Nata, and not many were at worship Sunday; a handful, less than 15. The woman we are baptizing today is the daughter of one such woman.

It is amazing the difference shade makes. The sun is penetratingly hot, but in the shade it is completely comfortable.

It is now afternoon. Oscar & Hazel went to drop off Mosi, find Keboree, and finally, go look at the HUGE baobob (mowana) tree that is near the lodge.

The woman we went to baptize, Mosi tried to convert her sister (from a denomination), then they got her to come along, Bendu and Jimmy trying to convert her on the way to baptize her sister. No luck.

Mosi had went with us to pick her up because the mother has been baptized, says she has been too sick to go to worship, and says Mosi has said that he would come over, or send someone, but never came. He told me he saw her a couple of weeks ago, and that he has seen her walking around town.

After the baptism he took me to see his brother-in-law, Stone O’Riley. Yes, he’s Irish (well, South-African, kind of). His father was Irish, his mother African. He’s 86, married to Mosi’s wife’s younger sister (she’s late 30’s, I would guess), and won’t become a Christian. Mosi said that when they talk that Stone will get him off the subject. So Mosi took me to him. He (Stone) let me go a little, but not real far, then he started talking in Setswana. One thing he did talk about that Mosi said he hadn’t before was that he knew his time was drawing near (to die), and that his goal (my word) is dying happy. He doesn’t believe there’s an afterlife, but believes there is a God.

Mosi, on the way over there, goes, “I’m giving you all the hard ones (the people he hasn’t been able to convert that he’s known for a long time), that’s why you get the good chair!” He was joking, but oh, did we laugh!

The days are running one into another again, and it is hard to keep track of what day of the week it is. It is two weeks since we were in Zimbabwe, and it seems like two days.

9-6-96
At the meeting last night, no one showed up. There was only Mosi and his wife, Keboree and his family (they weren’t his family, Oscar (or Mosi) said), Bendu, Gao, Jimmy, myself, and Oscar & Hazel. Oscar started the lesson, and we knew it was hard on him (I knew, I assume they knew, too, how could you not know? The night before had been hard on me at the start). Then, after a few (maybe 5) minutes, three of the new converts came in. That changed the mood immediately (they were from the six children whose mother had the bad leg). Then, about halfway through, kids started pouring in all at once like a river. Thirty, easily. The same had happened the other two nights (though they didn’t arrive until after I finished, the night before). We don’t know where they came from. After Oscar finished, Mosi talked to them for a long time in Setswana. He taught school for 21 yrs., and it is obvious he loves kids.

Before we left the lodge for the meeting last night, Jimmy said that he was leaving today. Three of his relatives had been killed last week in an accident, and he is going back for the funeral.

I don’t know if this has anything to do with it or not. Jimmy had asked Oscar in Maun if he could preach one night, and Oscar didn’t want him to. Then, night before last, he asked again. The first time I don’t know what Oscar told him, but I know that we had a schedule already, and we had reservations about having him preach, beside. This time Oscar told him no, we had a schedule to follow.

Well, time to eat breakfast!

9-7-96
Had a dream last night that I arrived home. Went through Berkley. The Pragers had picked me up (not at the airport, though, but at a schoolyard/park-type area in a bad part of some city, I had just told some man and woman from some African nation selling something to go away). I was in the back of the van with Mike, Andy was ahead of us, I don’t know who was driving. As we went through Berkley (it was gray, cloudy), a small child in the van with us asked me how Paris was. I said I didn’t go through Paris, but London was cool. I then started talking about the architecture of London. But everyone seemed like they were preoccupied (more like they knew something, and wouldn’t tell me), not paying any attention to me. Then I noticed Amanda sitting on the floor between me and Mike. We drove up to a big, fancy hotel, and went inside. No one would say anything to me, they wouldn’t tell me what was going on. A man who worked for the hotel walked up to us, saying something about “steel magnolias”, that they weren’t ready or something, and everyone shooshed him (told him to be quiet). It was about this time that I woke up.

Took Jimmy to the bus stop yesterday after breakfast. He ended up getting a ride in the back of a pickup (with a lot of other people). It’s about 275 miles to his home from here.

After dropping him off, Mosi took me to a schoolteacher he has been trying to convert, so we could set an appointment to study with her.

At one of the homes that Jimmy, Bendu, and I went to the other day, there was an old man who believed, but who wanted to be sure that he needed to be baptized. He told us that his wife had died, and that before she did some faith healers said to give them P200 and bring her to Francistown, and they would heal her. When they didn’t, some other guy came and said they didn’t know what they were doing, give him P200, he would heal her.

She died.

He didn’t seem bitter about any of this, he just wanted to study more. Bendu tried, then I tried (explaining about baptism). He wanted to consider more.

The reason I’m writing this is Mosi and Bendu went to see him yesterday, and we’re baptizing him today! Also, the daughter of the last woman we baptized. They had gone to try the sister again, but she wasn’t there, and they converted the daughter.

We held the meeting in Zoroga last evening. Good turnout. We are going to Madala tonight. I’m preaching.

On the way home (it was dark), up ahead we saw a donkey starting to cross the road. We slowed down, and he just crossed real nonchalant, paying us no mind (till the end, then he hurried). It was hilarious (you had to be there). Then a few minutes later, we saw a bird walking across the road. Not big, but a long neck. It walked to the middle of our lane and stopped. It just stood there, and we ran it over (we heard it under the truck). The thing didn’t fly off, it just stood there, and there was nothing we could do. We all burst out laughing (except Hazel, who called us a bloodthirsty bunch). Not because we killed a bird, but because the thing just stood there (for the record, we would have avoided it if at all possible).

9-8-96
Thought it was the 7th. Then I remembered that last Sunday was the 1st. It is hard to keep track of day and date.

Last night we held a meeting in Madala (Gao’s village). We are worshipping there this morning, then we’re going to Sepako to worship this afternoon. P.B. and crackers for lunch.

I gave “The One Church” last night, then Oscar gave a small talk after. Right when I was nearing the end, the bugs became ferocious. I was reading by flashlight (Gao held it), and the bugs weren’t bad at all, just near the end; they seem to have come out of nowhere. We were in the partially completed building, the roof is on, the walls almost up.

9-9-96
The power is off here at the lodge, I think they are hooking the electric lines up. Or something. They run off a generator, but they have had power lines run out here from town. I heard the manager talking earlier that if the inspector came today, they would have power tomorrow. Maybe they got an early start.

It is strangely overcast (sort of yellow), and very hot. Since the generator is off, the fan won’t work, and it is hot. The flies are horrendous today. Most of the time they are not a problem (though they are bad in the day here at the lodge; I think it is because of the type of vegetation here. In town and in the village they aren’t bad). Today, at the lodge, they are BAD. Buzzing around my head is annoying, but not bad. These guys hover in your face (and land), under your nose.

9-10-96
It is hard to believe it is the 10th of September already. Soon we will be home.

The cloudiness yesterday was actually smoke from a bush fire somewhere in the veld. So Mosi told us.

Sunday we worshipped in Madala, and then Sepako.

When we returned Saturday night, we found that the police had been at Mosi’s house, saying that Mauricio’s (Bendu) mother had died. It was too late to take the bus back to Maun, so he left Sunday morning as he had planned to originally. There has been a lot of deaths on this trip. Not on the campaign, literally, but relatives.

Mosi and I went to study with a schoolteacher yesterday. We ran short of time (she had to go to work) so we are going back at 7 am on Thursday. Mosi has talked with her several times before, but she hasn’t become a Christian yet. She is honest, and says what she thinks. I like her a great deal. She goes to a denomination. She listens.

Last night we went to Manxotai. The meeting went well, albeit with a billion insects. Everywhere, the men are out cutting grass, so it is mostly women and children who come.

We are baptizing a woman today who was supposed to be baptized Saturday, but she had been sent somewhere by her parents to do something. Mosi saw her yesterday, so we are baptizing her today.

Again she wasn’t there. But it turns out that there was a man also to be baptized there. So he was baptized. We saw her later, she said she had no change of clothes, she was washing them so she could be baptized. Mosi thinks this is just a line.

Well, I was wrong. They haven’t hooked the electric up, and again, they’ve shut the generator off. This is highly unfortunate, as it is hot, oppressively so, and I can’t run the fan.

I didn’t go to Sepako with the others. Felt terrible this morning. At least my toothache went away. I will be glad when the malaria pills are over, they affect me in different ways, none pleasant.

They got to Sepako, set up, and then the head man came to take everyone to fight a fire that was advancing towards the village from Zimbabwe. So they came back.

This time next week I will be on a plane, over half-way to London. The trip is essentially over as of Friday, when we return from Zoroga. We are leaving Nata on Saturday morning to go to Mahalapye. We worship there on Sunday, then leave for Gaborone. That leaves all day Monday and we leave Tuesday evening. That means we won’t be half-way to London, we leave at 6:05 pm (Botswana time), we don’t get to London until 8:20 am (Botswana time).

This trip has certainly been different from what I expected.

I do believe that I will be coming back.

Lord willing.

9-11-96
Went to Dukwi (Duke’-we) today to tell them we are coming tomorrow.

Just finished dinner, and the song as we were leaving was “Oh, Girl” by the Chi-Lites. I love that song.

We had a meeting in Nata at the building this evening.

Tomorrow morning at 7:00 Mosi and I are meeting with the schoolteacher again, and at the same time Oscar is meeting with Benjamin. I have been looking forward to going back to see her, I hope she will accept the gospel. I really like her a lot; not so much in the male-female sense, just that I like her, a lot.

It seems strange that we’re already almost at the end of the line. Going to Vic. Falls really broke up the trip, Maun seems like a different trip, almost (in some ways). Nata has almost been anticlimactic, especially with Jimmy and Bendu gone. Time goes by strangely here. It’s hard to keep track of day and date because time passes by events, or mornings, or afternoons; it takes time to do things, but the concept is different, so it doesn’t seem as though it takes time to do things.

9-12-96
Saw the Nata Sanctuary today. The Nata river has water in it, and the Sua pan is full. I couldn’t see across it. The water is unsuitable for drinking, though.

Both of the studies fell through, neither of them were home. So we came back, ate breakfast, and went to the sanctuary.

Went to Dukwi, that fell through, also. Seems they all had other plans (or something like that).

9-13-96
Our last day in Nata.

Today we go to Zoroga to show them how to conduct services. Perhaps the chance will come up to baptize those who need it.

The sun is slowly but surely rising. It takes a long time to come up. Obviously, I’ve been awake for awhile. My back is hurting, so I couldn’t fall back asleep, plus, I was probably out by 9 last night.

The electric just came on. Now I can see what I’m writing. Which sort of doesn’t matter, because there’s nothing I wish to write about.

Went to Zoroga, that fell through. They were installing a new paramount chief, so everyone (most everyone) was there.

We dropped off Mosi and Gao, and said our goodbyes. My own personal feeling is that Oscar will be back, but not Hazel. It is just too rough on her. She is a completely different person here from the one back home. She is not near as meek (usually).

Just waiting to go to lunch now. Yesterday was a long day, and today may end up being even longer. It’s now just a matter of waiting until tomorrow morning.

I suppose I could end this now. Everything is finished, it’s just a matter of going home. But, you never know, so I will keep up until London, at least. We have around a five-hour layover, not enough time to leave the airport.

This trip has been comparable to a day. The morning was coming here, and Maun, lunch was Vic. Falls, afternoon was Nata, dinner is getting back to Gaborone and London, flying out of London is putting this puppy to bed.

9-14-96
Well, today was sort of eventful. We got to Mahalapye, the hotel wouldn’t take credit cards, we didn’t have enough pula, so we continued on to Gaborone.

The hotel has changed drastically since we were here. They changed behind the desk, adding large cabinets that also divide things, they enclosed the bar, it’s no longer part of the restaurant, and the way the restaurant does things has changed; they’ve added a host, as well. The room price is the same.

Last night I counted my remaining traveller’s cheques, and couldn’t account for $200. Then I remembered that I had given some for a deposit here in August, and I couldn’t remember if I got them back or not. Well, I hadn’t and they gave them back to me today. We got here after housekeeping left for the day, so I haven’t got my suit yet.

I met Rich Maduba today. Not at all what I expected. I expected someone intense (Oscar had said he was a fiery preacher, I had seen photos of him, and he appeared stern). Instead, he is a kind, sweet, caring man, very peaceful sort of man. Very much the picture of the kindly, grandfatherly, wise old man. I like him. He is almost completely blind. He said perhaps I could be a missionary there in Francistown (resident kind).

Drove a long way today (from Nata), have to go to Mahalapye in the morning (220 km one way), it’s after midnight, I have to get up before 6, etc., etc.

On August 10th I wrote on how fast time was passing, and how upon reaching the end I might think, “Already?” Well, here it is, the end, and in some ways it passed in the blink of an eye, yet in others it’s as though I have been here for years. Maun almost seems like another lifetime. I can sit here, and thinking of how I was when I was here (in Gaborone) before, I see a tremendous change (but I also had just entered a foreign country).

It mostly feels sort of odd.

9-15-96
September 15th? Unbelievable. I’m sitting here watching some French variety show, though I would think it’s some sort of talent or game show, there are 3 people sitting off to the side of the stage with scoreboards in front of them (like the “Gong Show”, or something), but until now they haven’t done anything. Now the M.C. is asking them questions (I think). Before this there was a rock band, an opera singer, a disco singer, and some couple; now I don’t know what’s going on, some other singer. Now it just cut off.

I can’t believe that in 2 days I’m going home.

Over the last 2 days I’ve driven about 500 miles. Over the time here we’ve gone over 5000 miles. It doesn’t seem possible.

I can say that all of this now feels a bit like a dream. I’ve had Africa on the brain (so to speak), it’s been a top thought, for quite some time. Now it’s about over.

On the way over, I kept thinking of how long 7 weeks was going to be. Now I can’t believe that I’m sitting here, and it’s over.

9-16-96
The T.V. has been interesting here. I’ve watched “Maverick” (the movie), the Beatles anthology, “Cheers”, and assorted other things.

9-17-96
Yesterday was enjoyable. After breakfast they brought my suit which I had left here in August. Then I walked around the mall for a while, and tried to track down a Springbok jersey for Kevin Armstrong. After lunch, a nap (not on purpose), then I went to the bookstore for a while, then I bought a giraffe for the Pragers, and a wall hanging for me.

Today we leave. So, I must get motivated, it’s almost 7:30 am, and we have to be out at 11 am (check-out time). The truck has to be back by noon, and our flight doesn’t leave until 6:05 pm (OUCH). We also sit at Heathrow for 5 hours or so. This is going to be a long, long, long trip home.