As I was riding through village after village (there are literally hundreds all over the country), I had a moment that really hit home with me. Let me explain.
We were traveling down many dirt roads, but this particular one was chosen by the Holy Spirit to grip my heart for these people.
You see, I was looking at all the shacks and mud huts as we drove by them, then I saw it. A boy child, shirtless, no older than 6 maybe, out running around with no shoes on, covered in dirt, not realizing the full extent of his poverty.
I’m not talking about his lack of nice things; I’m talking about the likelihood that he and perhaps most of his village have never heard the name Jesus. This is the most extreme poverty of them all; the poverty of the soul.
For me, THIS is where the present met the past. For you see, I, too, was a poor child that lived on what most in America would consider a fairly remote place out in the country. I, too, lived on a dusty dirt road, and I, too, needed DESPERATELY for someone…ANYONE…to come tell me about Jesus!!
Then, it happened!! I remember the ride to church I took one Sunday morning as a poor little boy, whose soul was in worse condition than his family’s financial status in the world.
But THAT morning, the man of God who took us to church spoke to me the most soul-enriching words this little boy would ever hear in his life time. Whether you know it or not, I will showcase this jewel of truth…
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16
I didn’t get saved that day, but the seed was planted! I didn’t know it at the time, but the Holy Ghost came to my Lodebar and began the process of taking me to the palace of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!! To me, a spiritually crippled and impoverished soul, came the Glorious hope of Christ, and what a sight it was that TO THE POOR THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED!! I’m weeping as I write this, so please bear with me.
This connected me to these precious souls for whom Christ died!! We then stopped in the very next village, as the Holy Spirit spoke to Pastor Emmanuel, our lead pastor, to do so. We shared the Gospel, sowed seeds, and witnessed at least 10 souls pray to receive Christ as Savior.
I then learned that Pastor Robert lives a couple more villages over, but is planning a church plant where we just led some souls to Christ…and THAT excited me!!
I’m excited, because the Gospel is spreading to these poor villagers. I’m excited that they will have a chance to hear John 3:16 and accept its message like I did as an 11 year old boy, and I’m excited that that little boy child that gripped my soul and brought me back to my childhood without Christ, may someday actually have a real chance of hearing and receiving the greatest treasure of them all…JESUS CHRIST!!!
That’s what my soul has been lit on fire for this ministry, and that is how I can boldly and unapologetically invite others to come alongside me to help further the Gospel in this region of the world!!
Will you pray for that little boy, as well as this entire region, that the Gospel will prevail??
Will you help spread the word about this mission project?
And lastly, would you be willing to help get that church planted so that the Gospel will continue to be spread to “the poor”?
Thank you for ALL you do, and we love you dearly!!
Help us plant a church!! Learn how here: garycaudill.com/ghana-pastor-robert/
