It has been some time since I have written, and much has occurred in the Johnson family since our return from India in July of 2010. I need to tell the “rest of the story” from our Namibia, Africa trip in May of 2010. At the conclusion of the week of teaching, the pastors went around saying a special “thank you” to me, as I stated. But I left out that they also stated that they would be “praying for God to send me as their missionary” and boldly asked me if I would come. And after months of prayer we are going to be moving to Namibia, Africa. I would love to tell each one of you the specific details and feeling’s that have occurred during this process. But, for your time’s sake I will give it to you in 2 points. First, as soon as the pastors uttered the words to me I began searching my memory of scripture to see if it would point me to “no”. A couple of verses kept coming to mind over and over, they are:
1. James 2 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
2. Matthew 7 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
So what about when they are asking for the bread of life?
And secondly, we all are always asking about God’s will in our life and for Him to give us direction. What if God is giving us this direction by asking us. Such as: Will you host a bible study?; Will you teach a class?; Will you stay late and help clean the bathrooms at church?; Will you come and distribute food every Saturday?......... Our first Sunday back this was shown to me. A friend asked for prayer in a decision, she was asked to teach a backyard bible club every week that had lost its teacher. I immediately thought she needed not to pray but just say “YES”. I refrained from speaking this thought because then my answer to those pastors should have been an immediate “YES”. There is no need to pray about your answer again. You have already been asking God to make your path, so when it comes as obvious and discernable as someone asking you to do “work”. Let us say “YES”!
-What will you be doing? I am going to train pastor’s (2 Timothy 2:2). We are not going under a sending organization, nor creating a new organization. We are going alongside our friends Gary and Elizabeth Wilkins to work.
-How long will you be there? Don’t know exactly but 1 to 3 years is the plan. We are going to equip and then leave them to do the work.
Other updates: I was able to go and spend time with Ted Lindwall in Dallas, Texas, in December. I got to teach in a missionary training that he has been doing among the Hispanic population there. And got to attend his Spanish mission church he started some 9 months ago. Also, I got some great time of discipleship from Ted.
I just returned from 3 weeks in Northeast India with my friend AK. We got to go and speak at 2 conferences. The first was the Monsang Naga Baptist Association silver Jubilee celebration. Some 1000 to 1500 people were in attendance for the 3 day conference. I attached the first 2 pictures from this meeting. The first picture (click on picture tab) is of AK, the general secretary of the Monsang NBCA, a government official, and of course myself. As you see there is a monument to mark the event. And as you see my name is on it. This was most humbling to see. I found out that I was the first American missionary to come to this village. In 1924 an American missionary brought the Gospel to their state. Rev. William Pettigrew trained some local people who then taught 4 young Monsangs who accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then told their tribesmen until in the 1960’s all of the Monsang villages became Christians! The plan that Jesus gave and the plan that Paul followed still works today! I have seen it.
The other was the Garo Baptist Convention 137th annual conference. It was attended by up to 150,000. That’s right 150 thousand. This was like Woodstock for Jesus. Everyone was camping in a rice patty, there were stores set up selling books, selling groceries, cell phone minutes, baked goods, restaurants, and even a police station. The attached photos represent the event. It was most encouraging to behold.
I do have a few prayer requests:
-For the Monsang and Garo people of India. They both live in very militant areas with influence into all of the middle east and Asia.
-For Hispanic work in America. In Dallas alone there are over 1 million Hispanics with very little Christian work being done in our own backyard.
-For my family as they prepare to leave what they know (family, friends, and culture)
-For God’s provision and timing for our travel expenses and moving expenses to Africa
-For the Holy Spirit to begin calling and preparing the people of Namibia that He wants us to meet, tell, and teach.
-For the Holy Spirit to prepare us for the influence He is granting us in Namibia
See you on the field,
Scott, Tori, Robert Scott, and Peanut
