John Rowses’ Longings for Africa
3 February, 2021
Dear friends,
Thank you for your concern and prays and please forgive me for the long silence.
1. From Tanzania, there is good news that the Iringa Lutheran evangelists have been meeting to work through the “Willy Weed and Wally Wheat” workbook, under the leadership of the Pr Chaula, who is responsible for the theological education by extension (T.E.E.) programme in the diocese, .
Please pray for them that the gospel might get right into their hearts, so that it will, of course, spill out of their mouths in Gospel proclamation of “righteousness” – their being justified, judged innocent, or, to put it another way, “saved” from condemnation (Romans 10:8-10). Praise God for their godly bishop, who is not ashamed of the gospel. There are evangelists, pastors, and bishops, whose very salvation we need to pray for (Romans 10:1) since they are refusing to submit to being found innocent as a gift, and are trying to build up a case for a not-guilty judgment based on their own merits (10:2-3). And so …
No Preaching on Faith, Please!
2. Please pray also for those bishops who do not want the word of salvation by faith alone proclaimed or confessed in their own churches–esp. three Anglican bishops (although we are very hopeful for one of them). And pray for those pastors under them who do confess the gospel, that they might do so graciously and sensitively, but without fear of men, since the reality in some of these churches is that the big man can move, or altogether remove, them at any time.
Covid in Tanzania
3. Since early last year authorities have said that Covid-19 has been defeated in Tanzania by God in answer to prayer, although there have been no more national testing figures announced since near the beginning of the crisis. In general, masks and social distancing have not been encouraged. And now doubts are being expressed about vaccines. Herbal and steam therapy is being promoted and people are lining up to purchase steam-generating machines. And yet, through it all, we can thank God that it does not appear that the hospitals are overwhelmed, in spite of the absence of lockdowns, which, on any large scale, could have spelt economic disaster–utter disaster, with widespread hunger.
Now, a number of studies from different parts of tropical Africa have brought to light an interesting phenomenon: with a very high incidence of the virus indicated by antibody testing in regions where the reported Covid cases are surprisingly few, and deaths very few. It raises the questions as to whether there is resistance in some of these regions, or among certain populations, that (1) may not apply to expatriates (which might affect people like me), and (2) that may not hold for mutated editions of the virus, such as that in nearby South Africa. In my case, it means that we cannot afford to make hasty judgments about the safety of returning (and then returning here!) on the basis of “all is well” reports on apparent low mortality rates, etc. This is the next big prayer item:
To Return or Not to Return?
4). Please pray for wisdom regarding the timing of my next spell in TZ. My doctor, here, has promised to let me know as soon as a vaccine is available. It looks like I might have to wait for the second stage, “phase 1a”, of the rollout here (for over 70’s etc.). But there are still uncertainties. Even if am vaccinated, it would not mean that I could not contract the virus and pass it on there or here to someone else in quarantine. If any of you should think this is faithless of me, let me add that I trust God to do what he has promised to do, and not what he has not promised to do. I do not believe in putting him to the test. But I also want to assure you that should I go back this year, it will not be an act of reckless “faith”, but Kay and I will have taken all these considerations on board.
What Can I Do?
5). Please pray for the ongoing reading and writing task here. I must say that I am very grateful for this extended time in Australia. Please pray for clear thinking and setting the right priorities. Please pray especially for the preparation of more English and Swahili materials. There is so much to be done, it overwhelms me sometimes. One huge translation task I have been asked to do, I have not even begun to look at. But already, through this great opportunity to bury myself more deeply than ever in the Scriptures, I am stunned by the wealth and consistency of the Biblical teaching on justification by grace, and I am bursting to get out there. If state border restrictions allow (since I don’t want to infect you with anything deadly from Victoria!), I will gladly come your way for a weekend or for week-night in-depth Bible studies on justification. Or you might consider a Zoom meeting. Or you might consider inviting Roman Catholic friends together for a series of Bible studies, where you are the only Prot. If you are in Queensland, or somewhere else far from the land of the living, it would help if someone could co-ordinate a programme of three weeks or so, to get the most mileage out of the long journey.
Good News by Radio and Whatsapp
6). Moses, in Zambia. Please thank the Lord for Moses and his radio ministry, and continue to pray for him. Every week, the highlight for me is spending 2-3 hours sometimes twice, via WhatsApp, doing solid study of different texts, in order to help him prepare for the Sunday night’s broadcast on talk-back radio. He is so excited by the Scriptures. Time and time again he is like a kid with a new toy. He is prepared to work very hard. On Tuesday of last week, for example, we spent hours working on the precise meaning of the Greek behind Romans 4:3b, and why it should be translated, “and it was counted to him to innocence” and not “as goodness”, and then wrestling with how to put this in his Bemba language–he broadcasts in Bemba. I am finding these times so valuable. We try to work out accurate and simple ways of explaining the gospel. Then that fires me up to go back and write it up.
One disappointment has been the roadblocks we’ve faced in using WhatsApp or Zoom more widely in Zambia, where internet services can be quite unreliable, and access via smartphone can be costly to locals. I would love to involve other former students there in this work–even radio work.
Stirring Questions
Two Sundays back, Moses put a revealing question on salvation to the listeners, and things lit up. Almost all of the text message replies indicated that folk were trusting themselves somewhat to help Jesus with the work of their salvation! As happens with great regularity on this programme, after being faced with the Bible’s answer to such questions, people texted or called in saying they have never heard these teachings before. Some are opposed, of course, but God works. In a recent session, a caller from Mbala, in the far NW of Zambia’s Northern Province, called in strongly objecting. Later, during the same session, he called in again to say he was now persuaded. Last Sunday, a man from near Kasama, south of there, who had been a church leader, but returned to worldly living, called in to say he had now understood the gospel for the first time. He had been a church leader but had never truly believed. He announced in church that they should all tune in. In January, too, a Seventh Day Adventist elder confessed that hearing the broadcast, he had, at last, come to grasp salvation by grace. The programme is also available via digital radio in areas outside of its already-wide coverage. Every week, when I call Moses, there are similar stories.
Thank you sincerely.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all those of you who have continued to prayerfully and financially kept with us, especially through this covid time. We’re still in it, of course, but it’s so refreshing to know just Who is wearing the corona!
With love,
John – and Kay sends hers, too.
