One Tiny Booklet....

Oh, what a tiny booklet can do to open the door to huge opportunities!

On Monday I walked into Mama R's yard for my regular Kimwani lesson. I sat down next to her and greeted her. She greeted me back, then jumped up and went into the house. She came back with a small booklet.

"Read this," she said.

I stumbled through the Kimwani words, with pronunciation help from Mama R. An African father tells his children the story of Creation, Adam and Eve's sin, Jesus' birth, childhood, miracles, love for children, death, and resurrection. At the end, the son tells his parents he wants to be a child of God. He prays and asks God to forgive him and save him from his sins.

What an incredible resource! I thought to myself when I finished. 

"You need to practice this so you can read it well," Mama R told me, "and teach it to children."

A great idea, I thought, surprised that she was the one suggesting it. "Can I borrow it to practice reading it to others?" I asked.

She agreed and told me my team leaders had given it to her while I was gone. I wondered why they hadn't told me about it as I carried the precious book home with me. 

Tuesday morning I practied reading the book to Mama F while she cleaned. She enjoyed it and helped me understand a few words better. I told her I wanted to go read it to Mama N that afternoon and asked if she was interested in going with me.

"Aye, tuke," she replied. (Yes, let's go)

That afternoon I found Mama F in her neighbor's house helping two teenage girls roll out pretzel like biscuits. She told me to read to the girls while she finished rolling. I sat next to one of them and started reading. The teenager leaned in to look at the pictures and helped me with two or three tricky words. When Mama F finished rolling, we set off down the path for Mama N's house, booklet in hand.

As we turned the corner into Mama N's backyard, I saw 10+ people sitting around on reed mats. Two children scraped a pot for the last bit of food they had just eaten. They greeted me warmly, especially the grandmother from last week's blog. After finishing the typical greetings, I told them I wanted to read to them. They gathered around to listen.

I focused intently on each word as I read, slowing down to pronounce the longer words. Every time I glanced up to show the picture on the next page, I saw every eye glued on the book, leaning in closer and closer each time. Toward the end, a few more family members showed up and caused a bit of a disruption. The grandmother shushed anyone who made too much noise and told me to continue reading.

When I finished, Mama N's sister-in-law asked if she could have a copy of the booklet. 

"Omi novyo," Mama N piped in, also wanting a copy.

I told them I would try to bring two copies later in the week. On the way back up the path to my house an older lady called out a greeting to me. I knew she had spotted the booklet in my hand. I told her I had been to Mama N's house to read it to them and I would come back another day to read it to her. A smile spread across her face when she heard that.

On Thursday I told my team leader's about everything. They gave me a stack of the booklets to give to anyone who asked for one.

The steep hillside path is not the easiest to navigate

On Friday I went back down the path, several booklets in my hand. I stopped to read to the older lady who had called out to me. She listened intently and asked questions throughout. Then I went to deliver the two copies to Mama N's family. Mama F wanted to join me again. The women greeted us from the front veranda as we came down the steep hillside to their house. We sat down and started talking with them.

After a while, Mama N's husband poked his head out the door to greet me. He asked me if he could have one of the copies. I told him the two booklets were for his whole family to share. He took one and disappeared.  Pretty soon Mama N's sister-in-law also poked her head out the door and greeted me. She reached out her hands, covered in flour from baking cakes to sell, to receive the copy she had requested and disappeared again.

As we talked, the mother-in-law began to weave a reed mat like the one we were sitting on

Later in the conversation, the grandmother got up to go to the backyard. When she came back she informed us that her grandson (Mama N's husband) was sitting back there reading the booklet. I smiled. This family was hungry for the Truth of God's Word.

"Mama N, I would like to start a Bible study here in your home," I told her. She looked curious so I asked Mama F to explain what I wanted to do. Mama F explained in Kimwani what I was suggesting. Mama N loved the idea and agreed to host a weekly Bible study in her yard on Wednesday afternoons. My heart leaped for joy!

Within five days, this tiny booklet opened the door to a huge ministry opportunity and the potential for several more!