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Daily Scripture
 
"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

Psalm 37:5

A THIEF COMES HOME

A young man in Guinea

March 1, 2007

by Dena McMaster

When a young Tanda man stole missionary Rodger Enters bicycle six months ago and ran to another village in Guinea, he began a series of events that led to a life-changing decision.

He traveled from village to village trying to escape retribution. In each village he heard the good things the missionaries were doing in his village.

Last week he decided to return to his village and listen to what the missionary was teaching. However, he found he was no longer welcome in the village. Even his own father, a village elder, wanted nothing to do with him and wanted him to be taken to prison.

Then a handful of believers in his village took up his cause. A village meeting was held and the believers were allowed to plead for him.

There, one of the oldest men in the village began to recount all the good things that have happened in the village. "All these good things are happening for us because of these Christians and yet we treat them badly. We need to let them be free to follow this other religion if they want to. Now they want us to forgive this boy for stealing the missionary's bike and let him hear the teaching about this other religion. We should do this. It is right," he said.

The elders gave permission for the thief to hear the teaching. This makes it possible for anyone to listen to the teaching without being persecuted. Several have wanted to attend the evangelistic lessons but were afraid. Each night missionary Ron Yearwood teaches a group who desire to learn about Jesus.

Pray for the young man who is now listening to evangelistic Bible lessons. Praise God for those believers who demonstrated real love to the other villagers.