How to Eat an Elephant

As you may know, the answer to the proverbial question of “how to eat an elephant” is “one bite at a time.”

After the first two exhausting days of the distribution, a decision needed to be made by the team. Additional boxes could be delivered and our goal exceeded if we chose to stay in the region and not spend the last day at the national game preserve relaxing and sightseeing. Despite the heat and the adverse conditions, the response by all was, “we came to serve the Lord, not see elephants.” I went to Africa a seasoned missionary in the foreign field, and yet when I heard the distribution goal with so few people on the team, and in such a short time period, I didn’t see how it could be done.

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:19-20

With each day of our obedience in faith, we took one bite out of a huge “elephant” wrapped in Christmas paper, and the Lord’s response in love was a spiritual fullness and “mountain moving” adventure better than any safari!

In a recent report from the Fulton’s [apfmin@africaonline.com.gh] there are now 500 Islamic children participating in a Bible Study in the Tamalee region with 350 more on the waiting list. Pastor Kwame and his wife Susie do not have the space or materials to bring more in. A story passed on by Pastor Kwame: a Muslim lady came on a Sunday at 6:00 a.m. in the pouring rain with her crying child. She got down on her knees and begged him to take her child in the Bible study so the child would quit crying. This Bible study is a direct result of the Samaritan’s Purse distribution efforts alongside the King of Kings in two short weeks. The local church outreach had not been able to accomplish this gathering of youth in 28 years!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory. Ephesians 3:20-21