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Fadel’s Feet

It is getting dark.  The farmers will soon be coming from their fields.  It is time.  Brother Fadel, a  layman and house church planter, says goodbye to his wife and children.  It has been more difficult to say goodbye to his family each time he goes out to a house church meeting since his arrest and week-long detention a few months ago.  He mounts his Chinese made 150 cc motorbike and heads to one of more than 10,000 villages which, until recently was without a church of any kind, in his North African country. 

He prays as he drives to Abel Azeem village. He prays for the people who regularly come to this house meeting.  He prays for those he and others have invited to come but have not yet.  He prays for the Holy Spirit to anoint him in a special way as he teaches tonight.  He recognizes that what the Lord is asking him to do is beyond his education, beyond his experience, beyond him, but he has found the Lord faithful to help him every time he has asked.  And so he asks, and drives on.

He arrives in this farming village of about 500.  One of the children spots him and begins to make the rounds of the rustic mud brick houses inviting people to the meeting.  Fadel greets the 'Man of Peace' * who has opened his home and his family network to him and enters his humble dwelling.  Already some have gathered in their galibayas**, eager to hear tonight's Bible story lesson. 

After a few minutes of traditional greetings and refusing tea for the third time, enough people have arrived and Fadel begins to lead them in a song that he taught last week.  The song talks about the 'Greatness of God' which is expressed in his love, grace and healing touch.  The people, now nearly 50 of them, sing with great passion and Fadel begins to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in a way he rarely experiences in the more comfortable and traditional churches of his country.  He loves his mother church and how his life has been changed through the Gospel he received from her; but he feels like he is now living like a New Testament apostle and experiencing the Holy Spirit in a fresh new way.

Fadel now stands before the men seated on a bench along the walls, and the women and children seated on mats together on the dirt floor, and tells them a story from the life of Jesus.  He tells them the parable of the soil and they, all of them being farmers, nod in agreement asking many questions and discussing among themselves how God might work in their own lives in such a powerful way.  Then Fadel challenges them to allow the word of God to penetrate their lives and make them fruitful.  He answers questions and then leads them in prayer.  They close the meeting with a song.  Now Fadel welcomes the invitation to sit with them and drink tea.  He continues his ministry, informally, over the glasses of tea and then says his goodbyes. 

* Man of Peace -- See Luke 10:6

** Galibayya -- traditional robe worn by farmers in much of North Africa

Note:  The details in this story are based on the ministry of a layman serving in a creative access country in North Africa.  Some of the details, like his name and the name of the village, have been altered for security purposes.  The author has personally ministered alongside 'Fadel' in villages such as 'Abdel Azeem' on numerous occasions.