Saved to Serve Sankuru
A boy headed for a career in witchcraft chooses a new Master—and today he helps others escape Satan’s tyranny!
What kind of family were you born into? Mine was very poor, both materially and spiritually. We lived without hope. When a man adopted me, I began to hope for a better life, because he could feed me well. This man was a fétichiste, or someone who works with demons. When he began teaching me his trade, I was deceived into working for the devil.
One day I met a servant of God, who told me about Jesus Christ. I thought Jesus sounded much better than Satan, but it seemed too difficult to change my way of life while living in that village. When the pastor visited me a second time, I fled my adoptive father’s home and decided to work for my new Master, Jesus Christ, who loved me and pardoned my sins. Jesus delivered me from the satanic chains of vice and crime, and from the second death.
Today, I make regular trips away from my home in Kinshasa into the dark region of Sankuru, sharing my testimony and assuring others under Satan’s tyranny that Jesus Christ can pardon their sins, as well. I have seen many believe in Him, repent, and obtain liberty and peace of mind in Jesus!
During my last visit to Sankuru, the Holy Spirit led me and my team to speak to many about the Sabbath. The people asked many questions: Why emphasize the Sabbath? Are Sunday services wrong? Missionary work has never been easy, but through the strength of the Lord we gave Bible-based answers.
During previous mission trips, we established primary and secondary schools, as well as a few clinics, with the encouragement of the village chiefs. The schools are simple wooden structures with dirt-covered walls. Besides the regular school subjects, the teachers instruct the students in how to cultivate the soil and raise legumes—imitating God’s original plan for education in the Garden of Eden. The crops help fund the schools in part, so the agricultural training is a double blessing.
The clinics are not as simple as the schools, and they need constant funds, but they have greatly helped the missionary work in the Sankuru Region. The death rate among little children is heartbreakingly high in this area, but God has helped our Adventist Health Centers here to save many children, especially through malaria treatments.
Life in the villages is very different from life in the cities. The villagers have no soap and often no clothes, and they need caring nurture for their sufferings. For every mission trip, we buy secondhand clothes to give to the poorest people, although many others also need help. The tangible aid opens people’s hearts to the gospel. Here in this dark region, my colleagues and I have organized Bible study groups in 30 villages. We have strengthened our fellow Adventists, taught baptismal classes, and baptized those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Master and Savior. Our object is to win souls through sharing the Three Angels’ Messages!
By God’s grace, we have baptized 325 souls, and on every mission visit, we exhort these believers to keep the Adventist faith and to work for the Savior in their churches. I have been so touched as I have heard their testimonies, and I am so thankful that the Lord saved me from witchcraft so that I could serve Sankuru. Let us pray for these impoverished believers and the many around them who still need to hear of the Savior’s pardoning love!
Location
Democratic Republic of Congo
Author
Joel Mapamu is a gospel worker based in Kinshasa, Congo.
How You Can Help
Pray for the churches, schools and clinics in the Sankuru region to have funds to be able to continue their outreach programs.
Pray for the spiritual health of the churches and believers in this area.
Give to take the gospel into the Congo’s dark regions by sending your donation marked “Congo” to:
Mission Projects International
PO Box 151
Inchelium, WA 99138
To give securely online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate