Please Tell Us

"How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14, ESV)

Our mission teams had driven the road through N village all year long on the way to the village where we were partnering to work. It was rainy season, and mid August. We had one vehicle, and the first part of our team was setting up camp while the 4 wheel drive landcruiser had returned to the city for the rest of our group. On their way back they got stuck in the mud right outside N village. It was almost dark, and they were unable to free the truck after the heavy rain.

The villagers came out and invited them to spend the night. All of these team members were on their first trip to Africa. After a night of rest, the village chief said to our team, "We watched your truck drive by our village all year long. We knew that you had Good News, but you never stopped and told us. We prayed that you would stop and tell us. God got you stuck so we could know."
For the last two and a half years, as our church has partnered with our denomination's mission board in West Africa we have discovered people in many villages who are longing to hear the Good News that is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like this village chief, their hearts are crying out, "Please tell us." People like that are in Africa and China. They are in Mexico and India, and on all the continents of the earth. They are in the cities of the United States, and the rural areas as well. They comprise multitudes of languages and people groups.

The word translated "preaching" in this scripture literally means "announcing." Who will announce the message of Jesus Christ to every person in the world? I have noticed that in every village we go into in West Africa they have a very popular cola drink. How is it that drink can be there and we have not carried the greatest message ever given? Today, if you will listen carefully you will hear the cries of the untold masses, "Please tell us."