Article: Passing The Torch – By Gilbert Kimeng

The past several days have been deeply reflective as we dwell on the life and times Paul Okolo and the lessons therein. It’s great to have Elizabeth Crawford within our four walls for the first time since I got married over 6 years ago. She served alongside Paul during those intense days of the Monrovia Church planting and seeing the Liberian church develop to about 200 members before being transferred to serve in Abidjan in 2002. I’ve also been privileged to serve with her in leading a sector in Abidjan and also planting a church in Cameroon.

Sharing with her this morning, I couldn’t help but talk about how encouraged I was 2 days ago at the East sector midweek service when Margaret Obaje pulled me aside to express her heartfelt gratitude for the class I taught at the Two-hour Challenge earlier this week.  That first felt funny because Margaret Obaje wasn’t at the Challenge. She was so grateful that her younger daughter (Maureen) was in attendance and the lesson on God’s sovereignty in relation to human suffering had transformed Maureen to the point of her downloading the insights gleaned the next morning, during a 40 minute intimate discussion with her mum. Mrs. Obaje said her daughter’s view of life got deeply transformed and she’s become a new person – with a very positive view of life’s challenges, even reassuring her mum that she will be fine.

I am really encouraged to see that there is hope for a younger generation rising up with a godly value system and perspective of life. Nothing is more important at this stage of my life than passing on the torch to the next generation. That’s one of the drives behind my teaching trips across the continent. As older disciples, we owe the younger generation a godly legacy. What can be more important than that?

What her sharing also did for me was remind me of the story of the ten lepers – her sharing truly made the effort put in to preparing such lessons completely worth it. At least one person was impacted and came back to share. I probably understand how Jesus felt when the one leper (a foreigner) came back to show appreciation. Maureen was probably one of the most unlikely persons to respond to the class in such a great way. What a great heart she has!

I am also encouraged to continue digging in to topics that are not that popular or easy to handle, yet very relevant to real life. There’s truly much to do and working at it with all our hearts as if working for the Lord and not for men is the way to go (Col. 3:24-25).

Be encouraged my soul! Don’t be down-cast!