16 September | Youth
«And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”» Mark 16:15
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to travel with the King’s Heralds quartet to Angola, a country on the west coast of Africa. We spent twelve days there having concerts in several cities, such as Benguela, Lubango, Lobito and in the capital, Luanda. It was a joy to get to know these charismatic people up close, who are extremely musical and always have a sincere smile on their faces.
On the last Saturday of the caravan, each member of the quartet preached in a different location. I remember being taken to a church that met outdoors, under some shady trees. There were around three hundred people sitting on the benches. There was even a choir dressed in blue gowns leading the doxology. As I walked to the platform, the choir walked along the benches, singing and doing choreography. It was incredibly special!
Another fact marked that trip. Before our presentation in Lubango, we were informed about the presence of sorcerers in the gym and that we should be careful with our words in order to avoid “problems at bedtime.” What would you do? Would you be afraid? Upon learning of the brothers' exhortation, the speaker of The Voice of Prophecy decided to speak exactly about this subject. At the time of the appeal, he invited the sorcerers to accept Jesus. So, we saw the struggle between good and evil up close. But, thanks to the power of God, hundreds of people gave themselves to Christ and were freed from the clutches of Satan!
The next day, at breakfast time, the Angolan brothers said over and over: “Pastors, did you sleep well?” Our response was: “Yes, we sleep very well!” Curious, we asked a fellow traveler: “Why are you asking us if we slept well?” Then she replied: “No one says what you preached yesterday and can sleep peacefully, without the bed moving, the lights blinking constantly and paintings flying over their head.”
Would you preach in a place like that? Would you invite people to turn from their sinful ways? Jesus calls us today to proclaim the gospel to the entire world, regardless of ethnicity, culture, or social level. Do it with courage and love! The Almighty God will certainly be with you.