The Area Of The Gods

By Kimberly Rae Thigpin

The gods are more active down by the lake, or so the Africans say. This explains the twenty shrines for worship of the devil, the many witchdoctors.

Gaba Community Church is situated near Lake Victoria, the area called "place where they eat goats" because there are so many sacrifices performed along the shore.

God sent a young African man named Peter to serve this small church where only fifteen people gathered each week. Peter was filled with enthusiasm and zeal, and he had a plan. He organized a door-to-door program, and saw many "results." People came to church once or twice, but they did not stay. Peter brought in preachers who drew large crowds. Forty people professed to believe. They came once or twice. Two weeks later, it was only the fifteen again.

Peter was discouraged. Something was missing. He decided to stop the big programs and start praying. People began meeting every Friday night for an all-night prayer meeting.

And God began to work.

The tiny 24' by 12' church began to fill, then overflow. A witchdoctor nearby offered to sell his land to the church. God's work was gaining ground, literally, in the area of the gods.

The more they prayed, the more they saw God work.

Until one night, when not the witchdoctors, but the police came to their prayer meeting. That night the youth had gathered to pray. The young believers were beaten and told to stop praying.

The following night was the usual Fiday night prayer meeting. Would anyone dare to come? Forty people arrived to pray.

This time, police officers and soldiers came. "Stop praying," they were commanded. Peter stood his ground; they would not stop praying. They were told to report to the authorities. Peter would not stop the meeting. Then they must report in the morning. Peter agreed.

After a night of prayer instead of sleep, Peter arrived before the local government.

"Who told you to pray at night?" he was asked roughly.

"There is no law which refuses me to pray," Peter answered calmly.

When Peter and the church would not agree to stop praying at night, Peter was ordered to go into the capital city and obtain a letter of permission to have prayer meetings at night.

Peter went to the right place and asked the right people, but was not given a letter of permission. They could not give him a letter, they said, because there was no law against it.

Peter returned and explained.

"Are you sure?"

Peter was sure.

The local authorities were disappointed. "Okay, if you insist your praying, could you pray quietly?"

The little church on the shores of the lake, once a church of fifteen, is now a church of hundreds. Not because of programs; because of prayer. The policeman who had led the persecution against them is now a believer. He now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.

Peter emphasizes the need for prayer and steadfastness. "This is time for us to stand strong. . . . strong in the Lord."

"When you persist, you win," he says with a smile. Even down by the lake, where the gods are more active, Peter's God continues to work, and Peter's church continues to pray.

Kimberly Rae Thigpen writes from Norwalk, Ohio. bondservant3@yahoo.com