Thursday, March 05, 2009

The Positive and Negative of Africa

I just read this article from the BBC. It's about two Nigerian sisters on a trek across Africa to raise awareness of the good things happenings on this great continent--instead of all the negative attention that is usually focused there.

They focus on good things--beautiful geography, hospitable people, sustainable sources of income, etc.--but in my mind, they miss the biggest positive of all: what Christ is doing in Africa. Not only are many people coming to Christ for the first time, but they are hearing the Great Commission's call on their lives and they are leaving their home cultures to serve as missionaries. This is certainly not to be overlooked when discussing the good things happening in Africa.

Just last week I had the privilege to participate in a conference call with three PhD students. They are studying in Nairobi, Kenya, but their homes are in Burkina Faso, Cameroon and another east African country. All three plan to return home following completion of their degree to serve in the Bible translation movement there. God called them, and they listened--now that is something to really rejoice over.