THE LORD MEETS HIS PEOPLE A T BO GO RO Report of a Missionary Conference in the Heart of Africa O UR FATHERS were always searching, searching for some
missionaries had built a large grass tabernacle with low elephant grass walls. By the aid of a public address system the thousand gathered in the church as well as those outside, even the helpers drawing water and the women preparing food, all could hear the messages and music. The early morning hour of prayer was especially precious as day by day from six to seven o’clock the building was filled with earnest seekers after the Lord, and prayer followed prayer without a pause. The red sun, strug gling up through the dry season haze over the plain and lake far below, lit up the hundreds of dark bowed heads and seemed symbolic of the Sun of Righteousness who has risen in Cen tral Africa, transforming these heath en sons and daughters of the dark continent into children of the King. The Sunday afternoon testimony meeting revealed that twenty-two dif ferent tribes were represented, and these ranged from the Zande who live also in the Sudan, to the tall warlike Lugbara, Alur and Kakwa, the stocky, strongly-built Lendu and Wanandi, the Walesi, Wanyale and Babila forest tribes, and included even some little pygmies. The thought of the wonder of the love of God bringing together in peace and harmony so many tribes—many of them hereditary enemies—was al-
By Marjorie McIntosh* ways fresh in the minds of the dele gates. Day by day message followed mes sage, and Christ was shown to be suf ficient for our sins, our righteousness, our joy, sorrow, trials and testings, our great Hope and finally to reign as Head over all. One session was de voted to the women and Christ was found to be sufficient for the home, the training of children, entertaining guests, and trials and sorrows as they come. Reports from various stations took one afternoon. More than thirty polygamists who had returned to the Lord, was reported from one station. One delegate told of burning witch craft accessories after an old man had showed a cord he obtained from the witch doctor. Tied in a certain way, it would bring a curse, sickness, trou ble or even death to an enemy. The curse, called Kpira, is much feared. Another had the hair trimmings from a white man mixed with oil. This concoction rubbed on the face every morning would bring promotion. Al though he had faithfully carried out the instructions for years, the man had never been promoted. He knew he had been deceived by the witch doctor and the money — a large sum paid for his charm—was all lost. Many delegates spoke of the help dis trict conferences were to their min istry, but in other areas the work was hard; teachers were falling into sin, some parents of other faiths were sending their children to learn to read and then recalling them. The under tone of many meetings reflected the strong attraction the incoming civili zation was making to the young peo ple. The things of the world were dazzling, but all agreed that every where wide-open doors and great op portunities challenged us. The timely arrival of a few of the newly printed portions from the Old Testament in Kingwana brought joy. There were a number of chiefs and capitas present at all services, but none listened more intently than old Japoni, a deported chief from the for est to the west, who had publicly come out for the Lord at recent evangelistic meetings. He had had 300 wives and much wealth, including 90-odd chil- * Missionary of the Africa Inland Mis sion. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
thing. They worshiped goats, cattle, trees, stones—all sorts of things—| without finding what they wanted. But now we, their children, have found Someone Who is Enough.” With this statement, a native, the first speaker at our Annual Africa Inland Mission Conference for the African Church, struck a joyful and triumphant note. That Someone Who is Enough was the theme of our conference: “ Christ, the Answer to Every Need,” or “Kristo anaonia kwa mahitaji yetu yote.” Bogoro, a station high in the hills overlooking the southern end of Lake Albert, was the host mission this year, and unseasonal but welcome rains had cooled the air and made the place gay with bright flowers. The immense plain far below, with the hazily-out lined lake in the distance, was a win der to the forest tribes, and after the meetings, toward sunset every day, a crowd would wend its way to the edge of the escarpment to admire the handiwork of God. About six hundred delegates made their way by foot, bicycle or by car to Bogoro. They came from twenty-four mission stations. The farthest north was 1300 kilometres away,while others came from about 300 kilometres to the missionaries. The Bogoro church and
Lugbara, a native village in Congo Beige.
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