Inquisition

Disclaimer: Preceding the reading of this blog, I encourage you to read the very blog that brought tears to my eyes and fire in my heart over the boys I would soon meet in Zambia. This entry will give you a fuller picture of what my teammates and I walked into this week and why we are rejoicing over what is to come!

http://samlacey.theworldrace.org/?filename=because-it-matters

Boys entrapped in alcohol, drugs, and no expectation from society to ever rise beyond. Boys that stumbled upon American girls with the God of the universe living inside of them. Boys radically changed by God’s love and grace. These are the boys I get to spend my next two months with and I could not be more pumped.

Since we set foot on Zambian soil, my heart longed to meet these boys I had read so much about. About a week in, the moment finally came when I shook hands with three of these boys and fell in love with the spirit inside of them. Immediately they asked, “Are you Bethany? Sam told us to find you” and we began planning a meeting time to study the Bible together. After suggesting meeting once a week and getting a stern “nooo no, everyday” in reply, we decided to jump right in the next day.

Bible study was everything we hoped it would be. As we walked to the grounds (soccer fields) that day, butterflies invaded my tummy in anticipation of what the afternoon would look like. The older boys were already kicking the ball around in a scrimmage when we asked if they wanted to start Bible study; instead of continuing their game, they willingly said “let’s start”. We later came to find out that their choice to come with us for Bible study instead of going to practice would result in them not playing in their game the next day. This is just a glimpse of the deep hunger for God’s Word that we see in their spirit. As we walked to an open area under a tree, 3 of the boys that had recently come to believe and been baptized in Victoria Falls joined us, along with another boy we met yesterday and spontaneously invited. During the study, two other boys walked up, scooted closer and closer, and eventually participated in conversation. In all honesty, the beginning of Bible study was just plain awkward. We (Bethany, Anthonela, and Bri) began by introducing our hearts for these boys and I told them that I had been praying for them ever since I read Sam’s blog. We entered in prayer and then jumped into Luke 15. Not knowing where they stand, how much they know, what they believe, etc, we decided the parable of the lost son was a safe bet. Our sweet friend Isaac read the chapter aloud for us as my heart melted beneath the sound of his African voice colliding with God’s truth. Intent to absorb and process every word he spoke, Isaac took his time reading. I could go into detail about what we taught from Luke 15, but I would much rather speak of the questions they asked. It’s funny, we spent the evening before preparing for what we’d discuss during the study when in reality they just wanted answers to their genuine, heart-felt questions. Interrupting the awkward silence that followed the conclusion of our “lesson”, the most quiet, unpretentious boy asked gently, “What is hope?”. What is hope led to “What is the different between hope and faith?”, and this opened the floor to ask questions for the duration of the afternoon. Their questions were so unassuming and humbling, for the raw lens they see scripture through is so beautifully unfamiliar. The last team that was here gave these boys their first Bibles ever, yet within two days they have quoted more scripture than I’ve memorized in my 19 years of life. As you read these questions I encourage you to ask yourself: “Am I this inquisitive when reading the word of God? Do I yearn to understand scripture? Do I value my Bible as my greatest possession?”. Because I don’t want to gip anyone of the humility that comes from hearing their questions, here are just a few they asked:

-How can I please God?
-Can you tell if someone has faith?
-How can I know if I have faith?
-In Matthew 6:5 it says, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them.” And the next verse says to go into your room and close the door when you pray. Is it wrong to pray in public? The people in my church sing, dance, and pray in front of everyone. Is that wrong?
-The Bible says do not judge others, but I want to be a judge, would that be bad? Would it be sinning to defend someone if they are guilty?
-What is the difference between judging and condemning?
-You are supposed to love your enemies and not punish them for doing wrong. If I call the police on someone, is that me punishing them or God?

The truth of the matter is that these are normal 19 year old boys whose hearts have been powerfully ravished by their loving Father. We are incredibly excited to see where these next two months lead! Join us in praying for these boys, that they might grow in intimacy with their Father, find favor among their teammates so many will come to know The Lord, and continue growing into the men of God that this village so desperately needs.

Bethany West