Pioneering in - Far Eastern Bible College
Pioneering in - Far Eastern Bible College
Pioneering in - Far Eastern Bible College
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We spent a total of three weeks on this expedition, cover<strong>in</strong>gover ten big and small villages. Ow<strong>in</strong>g to the busy plant<strong>in</strong>gseason, when the village-folk were scattered <strong>in</strong> the paddy-fields, itwas hard to call a meet<strong>in</strong>g. Fortunately, we had come to theseupper reaches and got the chiefta<strong>in</strong>’s help, whereby the folk fromthree villages were ordered to come and hear the Word. We gotover two hundred to come after a hard day’s work. Of these fortysevenwere ga<strong>in</strong>ed as firstfruits.The days of the meet<strong>in</strong>gs over, it was felt that the campaign,though successful, lacked someth<strong>in</strong>g. And that someth<strong>in</strong>g was thetranquil spirit to hear the Word, disquieted by the hustle of theplant<strong>in</strong>g season. Therefore they constra<strong>in</strong>ed us to promise to comeback for another campaign – after the plant<strong>in</strong>g season. Some evenwent to the extent of secur<strong>in</strong>g a pledge with which we wereobliged to comply. In response to their earnest expectations, weleft beh<strong>in</strong>d our pump-organ.Easily, several months slipped by. Meanwhile, we went downto Samar<strong>in</strong>da to spend a happy Christmas and New Year withbrethren of the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese Church. After this we returned to themounta<strong>in</strong>s to cope with a bigger and busier situation.In late March the follow<strong>in</strong>g year, we opened a campaign at asmall neighbour<strong>in</strong>g village called Djempedas. This village had apopulation of only several scores. We baptised fifteen unto theLord here. This village was the first <strong>in</strong> this river<strong>in</strong>e district toreceive the Word of the Lord.Dur<strong>in</strong>g our first campaign here there was a deputy villageheadman who, while listen<strong>in</strong>g to the sermon, fixed his eyes on ourgospel poster. Suddenly, like one hav<strong>in</strong>g discovered someth<strong>in</strong>g, heexclaimed <strong>in</strong> a loud voice, “Ah, now I know!” Were it not for hisown explanation, none of us understood what his eureka was. Heiterated, “It’s the One <strong>in</strong> white robes <strong>in</strong> the poster. He is not astranger to me! Where did I meet him? I’ve racked my bra<strong>in</strong>s for115