The story behind Darman is even more wonderful. God indeed sent him to Nigeria that he might learn Hausa and bring the gospel back to Djouman. But the Lord had been working from another direction to prepare for this.
My wife and I were sent by the mission board to Nigeria, where the Hausa language is widely known and spoken; and God, even before that time, appointed men to translate the Bible into the Hausa language. When my wife and I came to Nigeria, the work of the translation was already underway. A few years later the whole Bible was translated. We, therefore, were able to take up the study of the Hausa language and the Bible, as Darman also did.
Now I see God’s wonderful plan in this. God sent us to Nigeria to study the Hausa Bible and then He sent Darman to learn Hausa so that when he had learned Hausa we were already there, prepared to help him and to show him the Way of Life. This leads us to think, and to know, that God had a purpose in His dealing with both my wife and myself, and also with Darman.
I don’t look upon it as a coincidence that we were sent to Nigeria about the same time as Darman; I believe it was a part of the fullness of time for evangelizing the village and country around Djouman, Ere and many other villages around there.
My wife and I had not planned to learn Hausa because we were planning to go eastward to Cameroon where the Hausa language would not be of much use to us. But now we see God’s plan and why He led us to learn Hausa and to meet Darman of Djouman – so that we could be of spiritual help to him and the movement that he, by the grace of God, was able to start.
We thank God for such African men as Darman, and pray that He will raise up men to continue His work so that the evangelizing of this part of Africa may go forth in strength, and many may be saved out of the darkness of unbelief, into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless the memory of Darman of Djouman.
Oh Grandpa, I pray that Darman's memory is being blessed by God even today, as I have the honor of relaying this story to any blog readers... I love that you pointed out God’s planning and orchestrating in this story - I couldn't agree with you more! It was not simply a coincidence that you ended up in Nigeria learning Hausa.
The fact that I’m even typing your words from this newly found document into this blog, is also something I do not believe for a second is a coincidence. The fact that I have met numerous people this year with connections to Cameroon is not a coincidence. And the fact that I’m planning to visit your longtime home in Yagoua in January – with a now dear friend, who I had not even met prior to August – is not a coincidence either.
God’s ways are so much more interesting and fun than our ways without Him. God has placed Africa on my heart this year, and while I don’t know all the why's in particular, I do believe it is a God thing, and I'm trusting and praying that He will use this interest for His glory.
I'm also praying, as I type this, that God is orchestrating non-coincidences, of similar scope, in your life. And that He is giving you the faith and grace to trust His wonderful plan behind them.
Always,
Annie
No comments:
Post a Comment