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APPENDIX
#1 — “We Learn to
Worship God!”
In the global news
flashes you receive from Africa, its not uncommon to see pictures of
refugees from many of the continent’s war-torn areas.
In face, Africa now has the dubious distinction of having most of
the world’s refugees. At
our International Lutheran Congregation in Nairobi, we have experienced
the way in which the Holy Spirit has become the “comforter” in the
lives of so many refugees. Like
the life of Dr. Isaak. Dr. Isaak is a dentist
who owned and operated six dental clinics in the Central African Republic
of Congo. He considered
himself, his wife, and his family of five children to be a successful
family. Then one of his
relatives became involved in the wrong political party and betrayed the
good doctor with a false accusation.
It was this accusation that granted the accuser his own freedom.
However, the day after his betrayal, Dr. Isaak and his family were
taken from their home and put in separate prisons.
When Dr. Isaak was finally released from prison, he searched
throughout the whole of the Congo, but could not find his family. Dr. Isaak’s last
resort was to come to Nairobi, a meeting place fro many refugees and a
major site for UN Refugee resettlement.
Again, he searched and he searched, but his family was not to be
found. Staying in one of
Nairobi’s refugee settlements for Muslims, he found himself a broken
man. And then, out of total
desperation, he secured a handgun with the intent of ending his life. However, by the powerful grace of God, that same day, he saw
a vision of Jesus welcoming him with open arms.
In describing this miraculous vision, he speaks of two enduring
impressions. First, the
vision was not just a “flash.” “Jesus
remained visible to me for a long time,” he explained.
And secondly, he remembers the peace he experienced in his heart
for the first time in his life. “I
still cannot describe it...I had never felt this type of inner peace
before.” That same night, Dr.
Isaak told his friend at the Muslim refugee settlement about his vision of
Jesus. His friend suggested
he needed to talk with a Christian about all this, and also suggested that
he talk to a Lutheran Christian. Why
a Lutheran? Because his
friend remembered from his school studies that Lutherans are “basic and
not extremist.” Dr. Isaak appeared the
next Sunday at Uhuru International Lutheran Congregation in Nairobi and
sat in the back of the church. After
worship, he shared his story with me and his primary concern was to know
“how” he could keep this inner peace he had received from Jesus. We immediately prayed with him and then found a French
translation of the Bible for him to read.
That next week, he was at the church every day and had read through
the entire New Testament several times over.
A rigorous process of discipling continued for over four months.
And then, Dr. Isaak became an adopted child in God’s own family
through Holy Baptism at our East Vigil Service.
His testimony and witness to Jesus was a very moving experience.
That next day, at our Easter Service, many were moved to tears when
Dr. Isaak received Jesus, once again in a miraculous way, through Holy
Communion. His Bible study,
prayer, and discipling continue as does that “inner Peace” he so
sincerely desired. The week
after Easter, Dr. Isaak received an invitation from the Bishop of the
Lutheran Church of Burundi to work at one of their clinics.
The Bishop had heard of his conversion and was moved by the Lord to
help him. Dr. Isaak continues
to hope his family is still alive, and recently heard that they might be
in Gabon. Through all of
this, he is now able to say, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior, His peace
will never leave me.” |