Renewal

My five-and-a-half weeks with YMI provided me with the opportunity to realize that God is working across the Earth in awesome and marvellous ways. Great things happened this summer, especially during a week of evangelism seminars. I can remember the joy of Africans as we marched down the street into the church, singing, "Kwen da na ye, kwen da na Yesu su ma"--to walk with God is the best!"

I also remember a 12-year-old boy named Bob--he was a sorcerer whom a group of young people from our evangelism seminars met one afternoon. Bob told us that he had killed three people through his sorcery. The leader, Mavungu, asked Bob if he had tried to practise sorcery on Christians. Bob said that he could not, that there was a wall of fire that surrounded Christians. This boy showed us that Christ broke the curse when He died and rose again. Bob accepted Jesus Christ that week.

In Zaire, we also saw the suffering that the people must endure. Mavungu, who had organized and led the evangelism seminars, was called home early on the last night because his eight-month-old son was ill. In the morning, we learned that his son had died. My heart still grieves.

Not only did I see God working in other people's lives; I also experienced God working in my life. For our mid-term retreat, our team spent a few days at a monastery. It was not what I had envisioned. All I could think of was that the other YMI groups must be doing fun things for their retreats. God convicted me that instead of complaining, I should be making the choice to worship Him. What a difference that made. Our time at the monastery was a great time of renewal.

Jonathan Friesen, Vancouver B.C., Westside Community Church

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