The Gold Watch:
The history of missionary work in these lands is very fascinating, especially in the extreme sacrifice that the pioneer missionaries had to make in order to bring the Gospel to these foreign lands, in terms of danger and disease and inconvenience. Often these hardships exist to the present time, in light of the heat, the expense, the danger of armed robbery or even kidnapping. To this day, the Nigerian government often refuses to allow missionaries to enter the country, and will quite often, not allow people to enter the country, if they know that these representatives of the Kingdom of God are going to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is due to the possibility of Moslem persecution, the responsibility for which both Moslem and Christian authorities want to avoid. Because the history of mission work has included a great deal of giving, on the part of the visiting ministries, often the native peoples have come to expect gifts and hand-outs. The term "rice christian" is applied to those who are "christian", as long as they are being given rice, by the Christian missionaries, but when the rice runs out, then the "christianity" runs out. There were times, in the beginning, when people would unapologetically say to me, "Give me your watch. I need a watch." Or, "I need a camera." One man said to me, "You have a nice wedding ring. I need a wedding ring. Give me your wedding ring." But, over the years, the Christians in West Africa have come to see the great value and the magnificent rewards of giving. On one of the trips, a brother in Christ, Philemon, noticed that I did not have a watch, took off his own watch, which happened to be very expensive, and gave it to me. I insisted that he seek permission from his own wife, Kayendi, before I could accept the watch. At first, he was offended, for, in that culture, to seek such permission would be an insult to the man's authority. Yet, in this case, I wanted the wife to be shown such respect and honor. She did respond with great emotion, that she would be included in such a decision, and came, humbly, moved to tears at the respect shown to her. As I have mentioned elsewhere in this narrative, I have observed and received many times, the giving of people who have given, often at great sacrifice, often to their own hurt. But, , like the widow who gave her mite, the woman who gave costly perfume, these people sometimes believe that they are being led by God to make this sacrifice, and, perhaps they are. At such a time, with tears streaming down my cheeks at my own unworthiness, I WILL receive, simply because, perhaps, I should. Someone may remind me at such a time, that, the Christ within me is worthy. These days, these trips, it is quite often, that I will stand beside the offering baskets when the people come to give to me, that, I will gratefully shake the hands of the ladies, and will gently embrace the men., and even the children, if they are not afraid of the white man.