March 4, 2003

Salu -- who has been bicycling 19 miles each week to hear Bible lessons in Landuma -- has placed his faith in Christ.

Salu recently helped missionaries check all the Gospel portions that have been translated into Landuma.

"Before we began, Jim Sheffield taught Salu the remaining Old Testament lessons so that he would be prepared to hear about the Savior," Kirk Rogers wrote. "Then over a seven-day period he heard a lot about Jesus (nearly 800 verses)! And he heard it in his own heart language."

After the translation check was complete, Kirk and Salu talked alone about what he had heard.

"He saw clearly that Jesus is God Himself, come to earth as a man, that He might pay man's sin debt," Kirk wrote. "He eagerly embraced the truths as they were explained to him."

Kirk later asked Salu to share what he believed with another missionary who was visiting. Salu told Dan Dore that he heard that Jesus was the sacrifice for sin, that His death paid for his sin, and that Jesus rose again from the dead.

"I believe all these good words," Salu said. "Jesus is my sin-bearer. I know that I am saved and I am God's child."

Salu is the first believer in the village. Many have shunned him for listening to the Bible teaching, and that rejection can only increase now.

"Pray that Salu has a good testimony as a believer," Kirk wrote. "His past has been pretty rough. A transformed life is a wonderful testimony to God's power and the truth of the message."

The Landuma translation check went well. The missionaries found many places where the clarity of the translation can be improved. When that is done, they will print booklets that contain the Scripture portions in chronological order.

Bible teaching continues. This month, missionaries expect to finish the Old Testament evangelistic Bible lessons, and begin teaching about the life of Christ.

"Pray for Jim Sheffield as he prepares lessons and teaches, and for those listening, that they will clearly understand," Kirk wrote. "Pray for growing interest as we get into the interesting and controversial subject of Jesus, who He is, and why He came!"

Jim does most of the teaching, and Kirk helps with review before each new lesson. Masalu, a Landuma Christian, helps by reading the Scripture portions and sometimes by doing teaching and review.

Kirk's wife, Yolanda, and Jim's wife, Carol, are also key members of the missionary team to the Landumas.