"...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:28
When in Rome... (Scratch that!) When in Tanzania, do as the Tanzanians!
On Monday, June 11th, we spent the day about two or more hours away from the center of the village, twenty plus minutes by car. The huts were widespread between corn fields and barely visible paths, winding left, then right, up hills, through thistles, a right turn here, and then a sharp left there. Then in the distance, we would see a hut. Moses, our guide from the church knew the area well. I must admit, though, that there were times I wondered if we were so deep into the corn fields that if something happened to me, I would never be found.
It seemed like at least twenty minutes of walking before Katelyn and I made it to our second hut to visit for the day. (If I remember correctly, hiiking is probably a better description for what took place.) Anyway, as we entered the area outside the hut, we could see the matriarch of the family, Mary Ramadwaw, busy at work, plucking corn kernels off ears of corn that had already been shucked. She must have had at least a hundred ears piled up waiting to have the kernels removed. Once a few kernels are removed, the rest of the corn is plucked off strictly by pressure and strength in your hands, mostly in your thumbs. I watched Mary do it. She could manage an entire ear of kernel removal in less than a minute with ease. Her hands were strong and calloused.
As Gladys introduced us, I felt a little nudge of the Holy Spirit to offer to help Mary get her work done while we visited and shared with her. How hard could it be, right? So I made the offer. "I was wondering if we could visit with you for a while and tell you about the most important decision we've ever made? I can see you're really busy, so if it's ok, we'll sit here and help you with this corn while we talk."
She seemed agreeable, even grateful, and thus my first experience of plucking corn began. Yes, I'm a city girl, and there is no country in this body of mine. I dare say Katelyn was even better at this task than me. To start out, I couldn't even get the first kernel off the ear. Mary and the rest of her family had a little giggle watching my feeble attempts. Mary then she handed me the knife she was using to start each line of corn kernel removal. I took the knife, turned it over. Around. Back. Yes, you guessed it, I couldn't even tell what side of the knife I was supposed to use. Mary quickly figured out that if Katelyn and I were going to actually help her, she had to get us started with removing the first couple of kernels on each ear of corn.
The whole scene was comical, I'm sure, and it did draw a crowd of family members and children. But we were not there for comedic relief. I knew I had to buckle down and get the job done so that this family could have the opportunity to come to Christ. I started out by sharing my testimony. I shared how even though I was born into a Christian family, I realized there was something missing in my life. I realized that just because my mom and dad and brothers were Christians, that didn't mean that I was a Christian. I shared how there was a point in my life when I realized I was a sinner, and my sin separated me from God in heaven who is perfect and holy. Then I shared how one Sunday afternoon after church, my mom showed me what the Bible says about becoming a Christian. I quoted Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10, and John 14:6 - God's plan of salvation. I told Mary and her listening family that these were some of the same verses my mom shared with me when showing me how to become a Christian. Then I told her how that Sunday afternoon, I made a decision to ask Jesus Christ to take control, forgive me of my sins, and as best I knew how, I put my faith and trust in Him.
As I spoke, Katelyn and I continued to work on our ears. In the corner of my eye, I would see Katelyn finish hers and lay the cleaned ear in the pile with the others. But Mary was sharp, and she didn't miss a beat. Every time one of us finished getting the kernels off, Mary would get another one started for us and hand it over. It took probably less than ten or fifteen minutes of this repeated action for me to have a blister on both sides of my thumb. I thought it was only me and my lack of domestication, but I felt a little better when Katelyn said she experienced the same thing.
Katelyn then took a much needed break from her corn-plucking endeavors and shared with Mary the Evangecube. If you've never seen one, it's one of the most incredible and easy ways to share your faith that I have ever used. It should be a staple item for all Christians! She worked through the cube and reiterated the plan of salvation, just to be sure there was no confusion. Then Sanjura, who was saved just two days earlier (see earlier blog post Sanjura the Disciple) shared about his decision to commit his life to Christ.
About an hour later, we finished sharing...and plucking. Yes, one hour, about twenty ears of corn and four blisters later, four precious ladies had made the decision for themselves to enter into God's family. They each bowed their heads and asked God to take control, forgive them of their sins, and they put their faith and trust in Him. And the angels rejoiced.
Mary Ramadaw (brown shirt/right), Moses is to the left of me, and Sanjura is to the right of me.
I don't know all their names, but God does. They are written in His Lamb's Book of Life, in ink. He doesn't write in pencil. Yes, Mary Ramadwaw, and three others made the most important decision of their lives, just like I did so long ago when I was a child.
The BIble says in Matthew 20:28 that Jesus came to serve. And that Monday morning, I believe that was what He wanted me to understand. Not only am I to tell others about Him, but I should willingly serve, however needed. Even if I'm inexperienced or inept for the job. I have no doubt that if Jesus had walked into the area, He would have sat down and started helping too, all while telling Mary and her family how much He loved them. In my heart of hearts, without a doubt, I know God fully intended for Kate and I to serve Mary and her family by helping pluck those kernels of corn. Sure, our hands hurt and were blistered, but it didn't matter. I think we both learned a valuable lesson. When in Rome... Scratch that. When in Tanzania, do as the Tanzanians.
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com