Africa Cries Out Series 2021 015

Gratitude under the Machete

Author Jun Xu, December 10, 2021

Translated by Susanna Tang

Editor: Han Bao

Pastor Batista is a missionary sent by the Brazilian Presbyterian Church to Senegal. His family has been there for six years. On November 17 of this year, he sent us an urgent request for intercession.

“Hello, my brothers and sisters! It was terrifying this dawn! At 2:30 in the morning, a group of people climbed over the fence and opened the door. Our guard Julius was awakened and found that it was a robber, so he tried to run. But these people forced him with machetes and walked to the kitchen door. My wife Deborah heard the noise and woke me up! I got up and walked to the kitchen door. I saw the robber trying to break the door with a crowbar. I began to hold the door from the inside calling for help. Our colleague Lucima screamed, and in despair, together with Deborah they brought our daughters to our room and called Julia to come over. The robbers managed to break thekitchen door; I held the door to prevent them from entering. They kept pushing and I screamed and grabbed the door from inside. A robber knocked on the front door and Lucima thought it was Julia, so he opened the door to let him in. The robbers entered the door aiming at me with a machete and axe so I gave up fighting with them.

They pushed me hard, broke the door of my office, and forced me to tell them the safe for storing the money. There were 3,600 US dollars for building churches and 1,400 US dollars for poverty relief. They beat me and asked for the car keys, then locked us in the room and drove the car away.

Thank God, the girls only heard screams because Deborah covered them with our quilt to protect them. God is wonderful; He saved us from the lion’s mouth! The devil was angry at the progress of our project! Thank God! We are on the right path! Pray for us for his provident on our hearts and our finances! God will bless! Pastor Joao Batista-Senegal”

After we received the above urgent request, our Chinese brothers and sisters immediately prayed for them.

The next day, Pastor Anna reported “Thank you everyone who prayed for Pastor Batista and his family. The police recovered the car. Glory to God.”

But their money was not recovered. Pastor Batista was very anxious. This was the money for building the church and helping the poor. Without this money, the Lord’s ministry could not continue.

Although Pastor Batista walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he kept thanking God for letting him escape the lion’s mouth like Daniel. His prayers of thanksgiving touched many brothers and sisters. A sister from the Westchester Chinese Christian Church (WCCC) was willing to donate US$2,500, together with the donation of US$2,500 from “Africa Cries Out”, they immediately made up for the shortfall. We thank this loving sister for her donation, and we thank everyone for their prayers. We are the best soldiers of the Lord – a team that prays to God.

Pastor Anna reported: “I spoke to Pastor Batista this morning… He cried a lot… He couldn’t believe it. This is a miraculous miracle from God, and his faith has been greatly renewed. Thank you, now he has become a tool of God.”

According to the latest news from police, this group of gangs totaled ten people. After committing the crime, they went to rob a Chinese company on the third day. After being reported to police, the police had a gun battle with the criminals. One of the principal criminals was shot dead, one was injured, and the other eight were arrested. Although the money was missing, justice was served, thank God.

Brothers and sisters, our African missionaries are fighting against the harsh environment and unbearable criminals every day. Our ” Africa Cries Out” base has three security guards with guns and two herding dogs, even with that high level of security system, it does not stop the robbers entering the house to rob. Our missionaries have never dared to go out alone after sunset. Despite that unsecure environment, Pastor Anna spent 24 years there, and Pastor Otavia has been preaching there since 1975.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:35~37 NKJV)

Amen!