Feed my Sheep

“Jesus asked him a third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter felt sad because Jesus had asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' So Peter said to him, 'Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.' Jesus told him, 'Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17 GW)

It felt the same way when I was in West Africa just a little while ago. The Lord speaks in so many ways to us we should just know His voice and pay attention to listen carefully. I mean, if I was in Peter's place, I would have been grieved to hear Jesus question me three times. I might as well have said “what you see is what you get or suit yourself if you don't trust me.”                                  However, Peter knew the Lord well and loved Him even though he was to deny Jesus at some point soon.

In our case before we embarked on the Urgent Relief for Niger (URN) Project, it was an issue of trust I guess. The Lord spoke clearly that we should feed His sheep and even our enemies in faith, the Muslims.

Then I recalled how I have come to learn that if it is the Lord's will, it is definitely His bill! Right then, I knew we were not to worry about where the money would come from or how much. Of-course the Lord would provide even half of the set sum amount, but no! He doesn't work like that. He is God Almighty. He will always exceed our expectations. By the time we were concluding our stay in Niger, He had provided about 35 per cent more than our initial budget. We raised R80,000 (about US$10,700) in three weeks and distributed food to at least 2700 people including lepers and the deaf.
“Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28 MKJV)

The time in Niger got me pinned to my calling to Relief Work. It just felt so right and so good doing it even in the midst of challenges. Being the appointed Project Manager for the URN Project resounded my vision and passion for the poverty and disaster stricken communities around the Globe and especially in Africa. This Project was such a beautiful confirmation of the vision that the Lord has been impressing on my heart in the last couple of years since fire gutted down 72 houses in Red Hill, Cape Town.

What was even more encouraging is how most of you responded urgently with hearts full of love and compassion. May the Lord bless you for that!
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love) it profiteth me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3 KJV

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I can rest assure you all that the synergy we portrayed through URN in Niger went down in the books of history about the unity of the body of Christ and it's role in breaking barriers and discrimination against people of diverse tribes, creeds and religious backgrounds. One Islamic lady in Aderbissinat openly castigated all her friends and family members who came to collect cereals about how all of them tend to hate Christians and that they are useless. Thereafter, she said that anyone who received grains should consider Christianity.
“Instead, as the scripture says: 'If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.'” (Romans 12:20 GNB)

In the wake of our food distributions, Chiefs availed opportunities for us to carry on any sort of activities we would like. They all openly praised the the God we serve. I somehow started thinking that they might be undercover converts trying to preserve their lordship over their subjects. As far as I am concerned, Jesus is raking spiritual havoc out of their lives and they will never be the same again.
“Never again will they hunger or thirst; neither sun nor any scorching heat will burn them,
because the Lamb, who is in the center of the throne, will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16-17 GNB)

As for while I was in Ghana, we stayed briefly in a small town called Denu near the Togo border. It is right by the beach with it's community full of fishermen who practice idolatry to the core. They worship idols and sacrifice to them. It is a culture with strong beliefs in fetishes and black magic. While you can evidently see church buildings there, some pastors apparently go to seek powers from witchdoctors. It is appalling I know. The clergy there cried out for help in terms of genuine followers of Jesus to reach out to cast out demons and breakdown strongholds among the people of Denu and Aflaou among other things as service projects. The Lord has plans for that place.
He says “I will destroy the charms you use and leave you without any fortunetellers. I will destroy your idols and sacred stone pillars; no longer will you worship the things that you yourselves have made.” (Mic 5:12-13 GNB)

May all glory be to Him who loves us beyond our imagination and who forgives our iniquities and transgressions and separates us from sin as far as the East is from the West. Praise Him ;for what He has done, what He is doing and what He has laid out for our lives!

Blessings!