The Body of Christ is a blessed thing…

For the past week and a half, I have been sharing the Seminary Guest House with Africans from all across the continent. They are leaders in the IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students). IFES is indigenous college campus ministries akin to Campus Crusade or InterVarsity or Navigators. They are at the seminary for 2 months doing biblical and theological studies together.

It has been such a joy getting to know sister and brothers from Gambia, Botswana, Tanzania, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda and the list goes on. We have laughed and prayed and chatted and share stories and watched the World Cup together and generally encouraged one another as we are all separated from homes and families.

Last night on the eve of my leaving they surprised me. Each night they gather for 30 or so minutes of prayer and encouragement, they have welcomed me into their gatherings as my schedule permitted. And last night as they concluded they asked to pray for me and send me home with their blessings. I was touched by the words they offered by way of encouragement and thanks and blown away by their prayer for me, my ministry and calling, my family and my church. I was so incredibly blessed by their love, passion and prayers.

It has been a special gift getting to know these new friends spread across the landscape of Africa. I conclude this entry with a prayer I prayed for them after I floated back to my room on the wings of their prayers for me:

May the Lord God bless and keep you, may His face and smile be upon you…and be with you protecting, upholding and blessing you as you do His kingdom work. And now to paraphrase Paul in Colossians 1:

I pray for you and ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Hallelujah may it be so.

The body of Christ is a blessed thing… Thank you Lord for all these new friends!