“Please come back, don’t leave us
here alone!” Those were the words echoed
by many people in the small, isolated community just outside the dense city of
Kinshasa in the DR Congo. Being the
capital city, Kinshasa has many paved roads, electricity (albeit unreliable),
and city water. It also has many of the
amenities that people come to expect in Western cities, if you can afford the
outrageous prices. Downtown Kinshasa is
cut in half by an eight-lane road, alleviating the horrendous traffic jams of
just a few years earlier, and many modern buildings painting the skyline. However, this bustling urban area was a world
away, or so it seemed, from the community where we showed the Jesus Film
earlier this month.
In contrast
to Kinshasa, which is lush and green most of the year due to its tropical
climate. This community is perched on
the side of a mountain with sandy soil, earning it the name of “Tchad” (or
Chad) because of its more dry, desert-like conditions. There are no paved roads, and at times we wondered
if the path we were using was meant to be any kind of road at all. There is no running water, so people are
forced to carry it in from long distances and families usually live off of 5-10
gallons a day. When heavy rains do come,
they displace the sandy soil and damage even small buildings, so practically
every house is in need of repair.
It was hard
to get there, and I admit that I was annoyed at first. When the vehicle got stuck for the third
time, and the 10 of us piled out of the 7 seats, for the third time, to help
push the car out of the hole, I wondered to myself, “How could this be worth
it?” These feelings of frustration
seemed to melt away as we began the first phase of showing the Jesus Film;
invitations. People were so excited to
welcome us to their home, most invited us inside but we declined so that we could
continue on through the community inviting more people. These days, the equipment goes together
quickly and all the components fit into one large backpack. As the sun starting setting behind the
mountain, night fell quickly and we started the film.
Having seen
the film many times, I was more interested in taking in the faces of the
audience. Children whispered to each
other, perhaps about the film or other things that children whisper about. Most people didn’t turn away; they barely
blinked. They all cheered at the
miracles of Jesus and cried for his suffering and death. Fortunately, they were given the opportunity
to cheer again, and even dance and sing because of his resurrection. Around fifty people accepted the Lord that
evening, but we didn’t expect the pleading, almost begging, that came
next. “We are all alone here, without
churches or pastors or bibles. There is
no one to teach our children about God.
Please come back, don’t leave us here alone.” We agreed to start a church there in the home
of one of the families and they have been meeting ever since.
In the
academic setting, I remember many people scoffing at the idea of the Jesus
Film. I won’t name names, or
electronically point fingers, but many people that I have encountered have
related showing the Jesus Film in a place like rural Africa to using magic to
dazzle viewers into accepting the gospel.
Some of these pastors are now preaching to congregations using hundred
thousand dollar audio/video equipment today.
I suppose that is a soapbox for another day; because the truth that I
want to share today is that the Jesus Film works. It brings ministers into direct contact with
the lost, it preaches the Good News in a vibrant way, and it contradicts the
idea that people have to come to Church before they can be saved. God isn’t only in the temple or the developed
city centers. Through the Jesus Film and
the teams that show it, God is in the outskirts and the forgotten places. God meets people where they are at and offers
grace and love to those who need it most.
For this reason, I’m giving the Jesus Film another look. For this reason, maybe we all should.
