In the presence of greatness !

Once in a while you happen upon someone and you realise that you are in the presence of greatness. Solomon is a gentle giant of a man with a quiet and unassuming spirit. He and his wife Elizabeth live in a small shack with two of their own children together with a further three teenagers.

I have known Solomon for a number of years through the Institute. This year he helped us run our seminar in Monduli, on the edge of the Ngorongor crater; his character and attention to detail meant that everything ran perfectly.

On the last night, he invited us back to his home, and after squeezing into their tiny front room he and his wife told us their story.

They are no strangers to suffering, as Elizabeth has lost four children in childbirth, but remains trusting and gracious. The stigma of such loss is almost too great to bear and forces many, Christian or not, to seek out the services of the witch doctor. They however tempted, continue to stand firm in their trust in God.

As the Apostle Paul had Alexander the Metal worker in Ephesus who caused him much harm, they also have their own version, a local 'spiritual leader' who mixes animistic and superstitious practices with a Christian appearance. He has done them much harm forcing them to move on one occassion whilst stiring ferment against them and the gospel. They have also suffered from nightly apparitions and sounds that have no obvious source. Night visits from so called 'prophets' sent by this leader, with messages of doom for their family leave them unnerved.

It was late and even though I was tired from three days of teaching, I was transfixed by their story and determined that they should not stand alone. Please pray with us for Solomon and Elizabeth, that they might be upheld and strengthened to keep ministering; for their protection; for their daily physical needs even for their fledgling church to have a roof on their building!