A Carew's News Quip--From N'djamena, Chad;

FROM N'DJAMENA, CHAD

     My wife and I arrived in N'djamena a few days ago, the 23rd I guess it was. Being born and raised in Michigan has really spoiled me as far as weather conditions are concerned. As far as that goes, I guess I've been spoiled as far as what the countryside should look like too. We lived in North Carolina for a little more than the past year. North Carolina was nice as well. The winter was even nicer than Michigan's, especially this past winter! My impression of Chad is very much different than that of the formerly mentioned states. Stepping from the air-conditioned plane to the steps that would take us down to the paved tarmac was quite a shock--a very hot shock. As we approached the airport I also noted that the countryside was quite barren...and brown. It didn't look like a place where there was, or should be, much life. This morning, we went and visited the biggest Baptist church in N'djamena. I was given a new impression of this place. There is much life here.

      On our drive to the church, with our host missionary Dr. Joy Hart driving, the traffic was not too bad. There were a lot of people moving about though. It reminded me a lot of Bangui in the Central African Republic and the trips we took there,  but it was actually a little while after we arrived at the church that I really saw signs of life. After being introduced to the pastor and church association leaders, we were taken to our seats at the front of the church. As I sat there, not understanding much as the service was in French, I watched as people began drifting in...and drifting in...and drifting in. The churches here separate the men from the women as they do in the CAR, men sit on the right, women on the left as they come in and I noticed a lack of children in the service as I watched. Most surprising to me was the number of men who came to church. Each side of the church seemed equally full, and it was full. I wondered at the outset what was being done here to reach so many, and especially the men. The numbers in the church today were 346 men, 331 women, and yes they were there in another building--435 children who were being taught and discipled at varying age groups.

     The jist of the message,as I got it from my wife, was about living for Christ even in the tough times. There is another difference between any state in the U.S. and here--compared to our lives there is nothing but tough living for the people here. The best sign of life that I witnessed was when they began to talk about the outreach of the church. This large church had already planted four other churches and were largely supporting them to help get them on their own. They announced a day of community outreach, canvassing the neighborhoods to tell people about church, and Christ. Yes, here are great signs of life and those that want to share that life with others. I felt very blessed to be there.

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.