Your doorbell rings. There stands a skinny child in tatters, asking for some bread. What do you do?
Once again, this week we learned something new and deep from God through John Mugabi.
Reading the book on George Muller last week, we were challenged with the idea of never turning away a needy person, even when we do not see an immediate form of human provision. This idea, which we believe to be in accordance with Scripture, has been brought to our attention three times.
Ivan and Kennedy with John Mugabi--2007
First, in 2007 when John Mugabi was here in the US, he told, with tears and personal sadness, the story of Ivan, Kennedy & their friend. The three of them, young orphaned teenagers, came to his office seeking help. Ivan and Kennedy were too shy to speak. Only the other boy had the nerve to approach him and ask for help. John felt he had no option but to turn them away as he already had a long waiting list of orphans asking for help.
The next morning, they found the boy’s body drowned in Lake Victoria. John immediately went and found Ivan and Kennedy and took them in. He said to many of us, “How can I ever turn away another child again?”
Second, while Seggy & Mark were here earlier this year, we watched a video of Rolland and Heidi Baker whose ministry is orphan care and evangelism in Mozambique. After a time of personal crisis, Heidi said, “Jesus is always enough. I will trust the Lord for every child. I have never turned another child away.”
Finally, reading the book on George Muller last week, you’ll never guess what is said!!… “His trust in ‘the father of the fatherless’ was so confident that not once did he turn a child away.”
God’s word is full of promises of provision for all of us, including orphans, widows & those in need. These verses are not just words, but they are truth…our very life.
We wrote John to inquire if he was in agreement that the ministry should operate in this fashion–trusting God for every orphan, every widow, every hungry person, every sick person, every person who needs Jesus…every person whom the Lord entrusts into the care of Nkumba Ministries.
Below is part of John’s reply. (In Uganda, the most common staple food is matooke. It is less expensive than rice or potatoes, which are preferred staple foods. Even less expensive than matooke is maize…)
I greet you in the Lord`s Name. Now I know that the Lord reveals issues to they that seek him. I made a vow to the Lord and to my fellow ministers and also requested them never to turn out anybody that comes to the Tower (Nkumba Ministries) for help.
I could not tell you this for I thought it would make you so worried. From the time I was in the USA, I do not know of a single needy person who has been turned away. Even if we were given $1 million today, we would NEVER fail to use it. You can’t believe what we are going through to run the Ministry. I do not know when I last ate beef and Matooke, my favorite dish. I eat beans and maize. I am very happy that Esther has adjusted to this kind of diet. We can’t eat beef and matooke when we get visitors on our table everyday in need of food.
Our food programme is more demanding than most of the other ministries. We thank God for the little we share. Sometimes I sleep without any meal. I have left it for kids most of the time. This has helped me to cut my size. I am happy. Drastically our lives too have changed. Thank you for allowing God to use you.
Nothing will change in the way the ministry is run. God had already taken care of that. But He opened our eyes to a new truth, a new level of trust in Him, a new way to pray, a new understanding of the sacrificial lives of the leadership in Nkumba, a new way to look at what we have and how we live and give. John Mugabi lives out the “chocolate chip cookie” analogy from last week’s post. (Listen here)
We will trust Him for every need. (I John 5:14,15) We will bring our requests before Him and wait in expectation. (Psalm 5:3) We will not only pray, but also act. For faith that that is not accompanied by deeds is dead. (James 2:18-23) We will do these things to bring glory to our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 10:31)
Remember the Poor 