It’s a fascinating story of how the plain, simple Bible, well, in this instance the New Testament only, brings joy to uneducated people. It happened on the slopes of Mt. Kenya where little streams flow down from the melted snow.
Nduri, a poor African widow lived in a little hut where she loved her Kikuyu New Testament. She had just enough education to know how to read it haltingly. The English Presbyterian Church had done a wonderful mission work among this people, giving them this portion of the Bible in their own language and opening schools for them. Some saint of God had taught Nduri to have “family worship,” even though her family was only herself; each day, before going to work in her bean field she would read a portion, and pray.
Today she must sell some beans in the market because she needs money to buy a little soap, salt, and kerosene for her lamp. She spreads little piles of beans on her banana leaf, and awaits customers. Her Scripture reading this morning happens to be Hebrews 7:1-4 about a strange man named “Melchisedek,” who served God all alone, “without father, without mother.” She wondered, how could anyone serve God like that, all alone with no family?
But not a bean does she sell today. She tries again tomorrow; same economic disaster; again the third day. Amazed, for this has never happened before, Nduri gets desperate; she is out of soap, salt and kerosene. So she walks many miles to Tharaka, dodging the elephants, where the people can’t grow anything to eat but they raise goats to sell; they always have cash to buy beans.
She times her arrival for early morning, anxious to get to that market. My personal friend, Pastor Solomon Ngoroi, is holding a series of evangelistic meetings in our little prayer chapel and is walking up and down the road inviting people to come. Nduri tells him she loves the Bible, etc., but sorry, she must get to the market and sell her bag of beans. The pastor assumes the posture of a prophet, looks her in the eye, and solemnly assures her: if she will come, the Lord will sell those beans.
The mystery happens—“deep calleth unto deep” (Psalm 42:7); Nduri recognizes the Holy Spirit in the strange pastor’s invitation. She comes, drops her heavy bag of beans in the back of the meeting place, and listens eagerly.
“Melchizedek” gets into the picture now, and later I do; but we don’t have time to finish, for this must be brief. Maybe we can tell the rest tomorrow, the Lord willing.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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