Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I am found; was blind, but now I see!
If you've been following my posts about the recent Tanzania trip, you can see God gave me a lot to write about. There's no way I could detail every meaningful moment and precious memory that I have. I know I have to stop somewhere. So as I begin to wrap up the last few posts about the trip, I wanted to save this story, about Stephen Mwita, for the last "story." I will likely have a few follow up entries, but this is the last detailed account of someone coming to Christ that I will have from the Tanzania trip, and it's my favorite one.
My mom has been asking me to write about it, and I've just kept telling her, "Coming soon to a blog near you." Why save my favorite til last? I'm not sure, exactly. As someone who is compelled to write, articulate, and driven to share, I often feel that until I pen the driving thought on my brain, I can't move on. And that's just it. I don't want to "move on" from my Tanzania trip. I don't want to "move on" from my memory of Stephen Mwita.
I'm warning you now. "This ain't no "blog" entry." No, this is a short story, maybe even a chapter book to those who don't like to read. But it's a story that needs told. You need to hear it. I need to tell it...if for nothing else, I need to detail my thoughts, experiences, and emotions. I'm compelled to.
So here it is...the story of Stephen Mwita. This is a story of a simple, honest older gentleman who was serious about Jesus.
It was Monday morning, June 11th. We drove about twenty minutes up a mountainside to a part of Bukabwa where a few members of the church lived, two hours away from the center of the village where the new church was being started. Moses, a teenager from the church and our guide for the day, knew exactly where to take us once we arrived - to the home of his neighbor Stephen. Katelyn and I were teamed up together with our translator Gladys. A few other nationals were with us, and of course, my buddy Sanjura Juma Magige was there, a brand new Christian from just two days earlier. (See earlier blog: Sanjura the Disciple.)
We walked into the common area of a few huts where we found Stephen and Mariam. Mariam didn't talk much, and I'm not sure if she was a family member or just a friend who was visiting. Steven was an older man, weathered by sun and time. I would have guessed him to be in his late seventies, but later I would find out he was only in his early sixties, sixty-four to be exact. His voice was tattered, as though he was speaking with laryngitis, but he had strength behind it, with no sign of being sick. He was tall and looked as strong as an ox for an older guy. His eyes were clouded, as though he had cataracts, and it quickly became clear to us that Stephen's vision was very poor.
I don't even remember if Katelyn shared first or if I did. What I do remember is Stephen's response when we asked him and Mariam if they wanted to make a decision for themselves to turn from their sin and accept God's free gift of salvation. His answer, "I want to do that, but if I do, will you stay and work with me to teach me the Bible and how I'm supposed to live my life now that I've made that decision?"
My heart broke for a moment. This man understood the intensity of the decision. He knew that he was about to make the most important decision of his life, and Stephen did not take it lightly. This man was serious about becoming a Christian, but in my mind, there was a problem. You see, the church that has been started in Bukabwa is over a two hour walk from the part of the village where Stephen lived. Stephen had already told us that he couldn't read the Bible because of his eyesight, so the only way he was going to learn and grow in Christ was if someone spent time mentoring and discipling him.
I told Stephen that we were having a Bible Study time after lunch, and if he wanted to join us, I would love for him to be my guest. I explained that I was going to have to go home to Texas in a few days, but that there was a church in the center of the village. I told him that if he could come to the Bible Study group that afternoon, I would be sure to introduce him to some of the leaders in the church who would be there. By doing so, hopefully they could come up with a plan for him to start to learn and grow as a Christian.
That answer seemed to satisfy Stephen, and by God's amazing grace, he and Miram both bowed their heads, asked God to forgive them of their sins, and invited Him to be Lord of their lives. "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." If the story ended there, it would be an awesome story for sure, but that is just the beginning.
Sanjura, Stephen, Moses, Mariam, and Christopher (one of the Bukabwan church workers)
After lunch that day, we broke into groups for the afternoon Bible Study / Discipleship time. We sat on rocks under trees, some met in huts, and some out in the blazing sun. We had just broken into groups when Stephen rounded the corner and entered the area. I recognized him immediately and invited him to come into my small group and participate.
Now, participating in mission trips is not new to me. My husband and I met on my first international mission trip back in 1988, and since then, I've had the opportunity to go to Colombia nine times, Germany three or four times, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Romania, the Asia, and now to Tanzania. By God's grace, I've been privileged to see God move in hundreds of people's hearts. Sometimes you see on their face that a change has taken place. Sometimes you don't. I learned a long time ago that I just have to be faithful to do what God has called me to do, and God will be faithful to take care of the rest.
You see, when Stephen accepted Christ earlier that morning, the angels in heaven rejoiced, but there were no outward bells and whistles. There were no tears of joy, and from what I remember, not too many ear-to-ear grins, either. But just like I had to do my job, in true God-fashion, He did His and "took care of the rest" with Stephen Mwita!
The Bible study topic was "Deepening our Relationship with God." During the first half of the time, we read and discussed Psalm 24:3-10, with the key thought being "God desires an intimate and vibrant relationship with us but sometimes there are obstacles that get in the way." I was glad to step back and let another team member, Jeff Davis, lead our small group time, and it's a good thing I did, because the answers I heard from those in the group left me speechless. (I know that's rare, but it's true!)
Most everyone in our group participated, and as I observed, it was easy to see that they were anxious to learn the Bible and discuss. But as we worked through the discussion questions, I was shocked that Stephen answered every single question. He talked about possible idols in his life that were keeping him from growing. He answered the question about what God promises to those who seek Him (v.5). Then the question was asked from vv 7-10, "Are there any "gates" or obstacles in your life that are keeping the Lord Almighty from being glorified in your life?"
Now, in the United States of America, I dare say we live privileged lives. Those who are in "poverty" in our culture would still be considered well-off compared to most in the villages of Africa. I had no idea what kind of answers the Tanzanian nationals would give or if I could even relate or understand the barriers involved in their culture. But one by one, each person shared an obstacle in their life that was keeping God from being glorified. The answers given were strikingly similar to what any new Christian in the USA might say. Alcohol. Finances. One woman, with tears in her eyes, even opened up and said, "Barrenness." (My heart ached for her, especially in this culture. I prayed a silent prayer for her as we moved around the circle.)
And then it was Stephen's turn. How I wish I had a video of the answer he gave, but it went something like this. "I used to be concerned about my eyesight. I have gone from doctor to doctor to doctor to try to get it fixed. I've been consumed with it. But now that Christ is in my life, I am not going to worry about it anymore. If God wants to heal me, He will. If He doesn't, then that's ok, because I'm not going to let my lack of sight keep me from letting God be glorified in my life any longer."
Silence. The team membrs from the USA in the small group stopped and looked at each other. I teared up. Like I said, I'm so glad Jeff was leading the group and not me, because I would not have been able to keep going. In fact, I just sat there rewinding Stephen's comment in my brain, over and over and over.
His answer was profound. Stephen had invited Christ into his life just a few hours earlier. Yet, when God saved him, He may not have restored his sight, but God removed the spiritual blindfolds. Stephen seemed to have the depth of understanding in spiritual matters that some Christians take years, even a lifetime to learn. But to Stephen, it wasn't profound. It was just a matter-of-fact thing. He gave God his biggest problem, and it was settled. A done-deal. And that was that.
Earlier in the week, some of our team members, Larry and Karen Cuttill, were talking about how they brought with them a big bag of reading glasses for those who needed them. Larry said that he wasn't sure if any were really needed, but God just kept nudging him to go get some. At first he ignored the nudge, but the nudge turned into a swift kick in the pants, and he went and got a bunch of them. The Cuttill's had already given the bag of eye glasses to the pastor, who was down in the center of the village in a leadership class being taught by Pastor Jerry and Frank.
We were scheduled to be back in Stephen's part of the village the next day, so I told him I would come back Tuesday with some glasses and then introduce him to one of the church leaders. Remember, before deciding to invite Christ into his life, he wanted to know who was going to help him learn, so I needed to be sure to connect him with someone who would do just that. We said goodbye, and Stephen walked back home.
Tuesday morning, I learned of a change of plans, and my heart sunk. I found out that Pastor Samuel (the pastor of the church in Bukabwa) had decided the team should do the hut-to-hut witnessing closer to where the church is located, and not up the mountain where Stephen lived. Strategically, that truly was a grand idea. However, as I assessed what was happening, I tried to hold back the tears. You see, several things all came crashing down at once. First, "Sanjura the Disciple" didn't come to work with us that morning, and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him. I had one of our family's prayer cards ready to give him, but he wasn't there. That crushed me. Not only that, but it was our last day to work in Bukabwa, and I knew that if I didn't get back to Stephen that day, I wouldn't have the opportunity to do it. Crushed more.
But maybe more disappointing to me was breaking my promise to Stephen. You see, there's a little golden rule we all swear to abide by on mission trips: "Never make a promise." Unknowing, I had made three promises to Stephen that I would not be able to keep, to introduce him to a church leader, to bring him some glasses, and to come back the next day. On top of that, Jeff and I had already made plans to get a video of Stephen giving his testimony, in hopes of sharing it firsthand with our church family.
As I held back the tears and tried to put a smile on my face to hide the disappointment, I felt God whisper in my ear, "Do what needs done this morning, and everything will work out according to My plan."
Now, coming into the day on Tuesday morning, I was pretty sure of God's plan. I knew without a doubt that He wanted me to keep my promise with Stephen. Not doing so would hurt the cause of Christ, so I know it was His will for us meet again with Stephen. I just wasn't exactly sure on the "how" it would all go down. Now, I can be pretty persuasive...I mean "resourceful." I started to pray and scheme, and I quickly put my skills into action. God must have told Jeff the same thing He told me, because we both had the same plan. Go out witnessing in the morning, and then go up the mountain to the Stephen's area and hold a Bible Study up there in the afternoon.
Turns out, it wasn't Beth's plan. It wasn't Jeff's plan. It was God's plan, and God orchestrated every step of the afternoon, and not exactly according to how we thought it would all go down. Moses, Stephen's neighbor, agreed to go with us, to show us just where to go. Peter Ngwili, our AICT host, taxi driver, Captain, Commander, and all-around awesome chauffeur-translator agreed to drive us. I asked Peter to ask Pastor Samuel if he could get the bag of eye glasses so we could take them up. The Pastor agreed, and by God's perfect plan, instead of handing them to me, he jumped in the Land Rover with us. This was not in my plan for sure. This is better than I planned, but God had it all under control, just like he whispered to me.
Eye glasses - check. Church leader - check. Visit on Tuesday - check. Three promises, soon to be fulfilled. Thank you, Jesus. I could feel the excitement build with each bump we hit for that twenty minute ride up the mountain.
As we entered the common area of Stephen's home, Peter began speaking Swahili to him. By the time Moses was about three feet in front of him, I could see that he recognized Moses. Jeff and I had not said anything yet, and I don't think Stephen even knew we were there.
Finally, I walked a little closer and said, "Stephen, I promised you I would come back today and bring you some eye glasses, and I wanted to be sure I would keep my promise." Then it happened. One of those moments you would like to freeze in time. A smile you'd like to capture forever. As soon as Stephen realized I was there, his face opened up with the biggest smile you can imagine. He stood up and I dare say trotted to meet me and give me a hug. OK, maybe I was one the doing trotting and he didn't move that quickly, but either way, it was a glorious reunion, as if we were old friends!
Jeff and Peter did the interview with Stephen, while I stood a few feet away and listened, grinning ear to ear, I'm sure. Jeff asked him if he could share with our church family back home about the decision he made the day before. He talked about how we came to his home and he knew it was about time to start living his life right. He talked about His decision to follow Christ and his desire to grow and learn more about God. He also talked about how it's going to be difficult to grow as a Christian with the church in Bukabwa being so far away. Then Jeff asked him to share a little on video about his eyesight and what he said in the Bible study group the day before. Stephen repeated the same thing, that he was not going to let his eyesight be an obstacle in his life any longer. He was going to leave that in God's hands. It was powerful.
After the interview, another man who was miraculously saved the day before (and now has changed his name to John!) came over, and we were able to get his testimony on tape as well. ...but that's a whole 'nother story for another team member on another day! I would have to add a few chapters in this book if I started to tell John's story, and this book is about Stephen Mwita, remember?
While Jeff and Peter went to tape the video of John, Stephen got to meet Pastor Samuel. They chatted for a little while, and I didn't have a clue what was said. Peter, the only person in our midst who knew both languages, was off with Jeff and the newly named John, so I just smiled and waited.
Then the moment of truth arrived. It was time to check out the bag of reading glasses that the Cuttill's had donated. We found some +2.5 glasses, and Steven put them on and shook his head up and down with a smile on his face. You could tell that they were helping his vision, and besides that, they looked pretty spiffy on him! I stood about four feet away and asked him how many fingers I was holding up. His answer, "I can't see how many fingers, but I can at least see your hand now."
Stephen, after putting on the first pair of glasses, realizing he could now see my hand.
Jeff and I caught each others eyes, and our distraught faces likely mirrored each other. Neither one of us realized just how blind Stephen actually was. I started digging for some stronger glasses, and at the bottom of the bag, I found one pair with a +3 prescription. That was "as good as it gets." I took them out of the bag and fitted them on his head. I had no idea, but Jeff snapped into "team photographer duty" and started snapping pictures of the event. I'm forever grateful, to say the least.
As I put the +3 on Stephen's face, you could immediately tell they made a huge difference. A grin that spread across his face the moment he started to be able to see better stayed there until we said goodbye, and probably even beyond.
We took some time to review the memory verse from the day before, and I tried to teach Stephen the new verse in Swahili from reading it on the Swahili version hand-out that I had. That lasted a whole of two minutes, at best, seeing that despite my best efforts to read Swahili, I'm completely incapable of doing so. The event made for a good laugh and a good memory, at least. :)
Then Peter came over and informed us of what took place in the conversation between Pastor Samuel and Stephen. Apparently, they had made arrangements for Pastor Samuel to come up to this part of the village every Wednesday to do a Bible study with the new believers. Once again, Jeff and I caught each other's eye, as if to acknowledge without speaking, "God is good. All the time. "
It was about time to go, but I asked Peter to translate one last thing for me. I went over to Stephen and handed him my family's prayer card and picture. I said, "Stephen, I have a lot of pictures to remember you, but I wanted to give this to you. It's a picture of my family so you can remember what I look like and pray for us." On the back I wrote, "Stephen, I will forever keep you in my heart." He sat there, and I remember him pointing to the pictures on the card with a smile on his face. He could see the images. He could see us. But best of all, this all this happened, only because he made a decision to let God remove the spiritual blindfold so he could see Jesus.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I am found; was blind, but now I see!
Stephen looks at the prayer card that I gave him. I can't thank Jeff enough for catching this on film!
And that, my friend, is my favorite story from Tanzania. The story of Steven Mwita. Please pray for Stephen. Pray for Pastor Samuel and the new church. Pray for Bukabwa. And then finally, ask God to show you what job He has for you in missions, then go in blind faith and obedience down whatever dusty, bumpy road He has for you.
May I never forget. May I never "move on" now that I've penned Stephen's story. And may the miraculous salvation message continue to remove the blindfolds satan has so strongly tied on the eyes of the Bukabwan people.
--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com