Out of Africa – 17 chickens and 1 pig! - astor Deborah Birkeland - John 3: 1-17 & John 4: 5-42

Nicodemus said, “No one can do the signs you do without the presence of God!” The Samaritan woman said, “Sir, give me this living water so that I may never be thirsty again...”

We were at least 1 Kilometer away from Nduli church when the commotion started. In front of our bus men, women and children came singing, dancing and waving floral branches in celebration of our arrival. Their singing was loud and infectious, driven by a drum beat and sung with such enthusiasm and joy that our hearts immediately were engaged. Children and Mama’s with little babies wrapped to their backs ran along side of the bus, smiling, singing, waving, and Pastor Laiton, their pastor, walked right in front of the bus like a conductor of this great symphony of joy! Once we all climbed out of the bus, we were surrounded with such a chorus of joy that I immediately thought of this as being like that moment when one arrives in heaven and is greeted by the saints and those you loved for a lifetime! “Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, kwa gweni watu” they sang. “That means, Welcome, Welcome, guests!” Yet that wasn’t all they sang. Once we were in the simple, but precious church building, where their altar is designed to match ours at CtK, their songs switched to praise of God and our Lord Jesus. The place literally exploded with praise!

We were ushered forward to special seats of honor in the front where an impromptu service of thanksgiving and welcome was offered. I joined Pastor Laiton in kneeling at the altar in prayer, and special music was offered to us as by their children and choir. When it was time to introduce ourselves and make our presentations through our translator, each name and each announcement was met with a shrill trill-like tongue song and another dance of praise and celebration.

And then...it was their turn to offer their gifts. Shy, but excited women slipped out the door and returned with great smiles as they sang their way toward each one of us. They placed hand made baskets, hand made necklaces over our necks and one elderly person even handed someone a dirty little envelop that contained 500 shillings...the equivalent of $.50 cents. We stood in awe of their excitement of giving us these simple, yet extravagant gifts Yet it didn’t stop there! Soon we heard the squawks of chickens as they were caught and their legs were tied. With great pride, two chickens were brought in and placed in my arms as the visiting pastor. Luckily, being a farm girl, this didn’t bother me in the least, even when they messed my dress!

This same scenario continued all day as we got on the bus and went into the hillsides to 5 preaching points that first day! The roads were narrow, rutted and muddy, and it soon became evident that it was foolish to travel in a bus to these villages, but Pastor Laiton and others from the Nduli Parish that had joined us and let us know that people were waiting all day for our arrival. So one by one, we visited remote preaching points. Some had churches that our support had helped them build, others were waiting with dreams and plans. Each had an evangelist who did outreach and Pastor Laiton visits via motorbike as often as he can.

At each preaching point, the singing, dancing and excitement continued, and the gifts poured forth! They gave so much and with such obvious enthusiasm that we were overwhelmed! How could people who had so little materially, lived in mud brick huts, and faced the ravages of AIDS, Malaria, drought and other third world challenges, find it so easy to part with these life sustaining treasures? It made us realize how much “stuff” we cling to as Americans that often hinders our spirit from fully knowing the joy these people have so naturally embraced.

It took us over 12 hours that first day to get to each of the preaching points.

By the end of the second day, we have visited all the preaching points and received 17 chickens...which we dutifully carried back to the bus under our feet and offered to the Lutheran Centre since it was obviously a little difficult to bring them home! When we returned to Nduli that second day, Pastor Laiton had two more surprises. That morning, one of his pigs had given birth to four little piglets, so in Praise of God’s bounty, we were given a literal “pig tied into a basket!” That pig was hoisted on top of our bus for the journey back and the Lutheran Centre now has a pet! Then, Pastor Laiton, who had shared so many of his dreams for his flock, shared another dream with us. He wanted us to join him in planting some trees within the corn and produce that grew right up to the church doors. Bishop Mdegalla, he said, was encouraging the parishes to plant trees as a symbol of God’s faithfulness, and since we were there to stand “Bega Kwa Bega” – shoulder to shoulder- beside them as their companion congregation from America, they wanted each of us to help plant a tree and then return someday to see the Growth that God had given! The service on Sunday went 4 hours and 20 minutes, and the joy in receiving sewing machines, grinders, and praising God together was just amazing!

Now I could go on and on with stories (...and there will be more to come,) but I wanted to share this experience with you this morning for a couple of reasons. First, I want to tie what we experienced with the experiences that Christ gave both Nicodemus (in last Sunday’s Gospel text) and the Samaritan Woman (in today’s Gospel reading) with this amazing show of God’s presence in the hearts of his people. And secondly, I want to reflect with you about how God works to transform all his children through relationships whose foundation is Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

So, let’s look more closely at the stories of Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman from John’s gospel. Nicodemus was an insider and a seeker of truth. We are told that he came to Jesus at night to raise some heavy theological questions. For, you see, he realized that no one could do the signs that Jesus did apart from the presence of God! Nicodemus came with preconceived and layered understandings of faith and life that were shaped by religious tradition. Yet something inside of him longed for an authentic experience with the Living God, and Jesus was compelling. What Jesus tells Nicodemus is confusing and misunderstood by this insider who himself was a teacher of Israel, “How can one be born again?” he argues. Jesus answers, but we are not told in this passage if Nicodemus ever fully understood. Yet, we know that Nicodemus ultimately was changed...born again it seems, for Nicodemus does resurface twice more in the passion story, first to defend Jesus before the chief priests and Pharisees (John 7: 50-51) and with Joseph of Arimatheia to remove and prepare Jesus’ crucified body for burial (John 19:39.)

Now, let’s contrast the story of Nicodemus with the story of the Samaritan woman The Samaritan woman was an outsider, and doesn’t appear to be seeking anything but daily existence and survival. As a woman who lived in Samaria, she was already avoided by Jews, but we also discover that her own people avoid her as well because she has had many husbands and is now living with a man who is not her husband. It wasn’t until Jesus came to her in the heat of the day, and entered into her world of alienation, that she began to realize her own thirst for this “living water” which this man was offering her. She too is confused by Jesus’ words, yet she is opened by her emptiness and longing, and somehow, she gets it. This is the Messiah! This is God! And so she runs back into her world oblivious to what anyone may think of her, and she witnesses with all the joy and energy and abandonment of someone who has been truly “born again!”

How do these Biblical characters and texts relate to 17 chickens and 1 pig? Perhaps the best way to explain is to share another African experience. This time, it is our last night in Iringa and we are gathered around the living room in an apt. where Eunice and Don Fultz, coordinators of the Bega Kwa Bega program, Gary Langness, a pastor whose heart has been set on fire and has gone to Tanzania over 15 times to engage in this ministry, and where Bishop Mdgella and his wife came to say goodbye to our group. Don asked us to do some reflecting and sharing about our experience in Tanzania. “Why did you come to Africa?” he said, and “How has it changed you?”

Going around the circle, no one spoke of the amazing Safari Animals and beauty we had enjoyed; no one complained about the food or the “bush” or “Squat style” of bathroom facilities; and no one spoke without deep feeling, tears or passion. One by one, stories were shared about how deeply moved each was by the “people” of Tanzania, and the generous, life-changing witness of joy they had witnessed everywhere they went. They spoke of the impact of being given gifts of such economic significance by a people so poor in things of this world, yet so rich in things of the Spirit. And when it came to be my turn to speak, I said that I now realized that I came to Africa because I, like Nicodemus, was hungry to experience the presence of God apart from the layers of advantage, piety and religious tradition that had shaped me as an American Christian and pastor. In these people, I had seen the face of Jesus shine and pour forth as living water on our dry and thirsty souls! In their amazing Bishop, Owden Mdgella, I had witnessed a modern day Moses, whose humble and intentional love and care for his people gave new meaning to the “Fear and Awe” of standing on holy ground where God’s power was truly transforming everything into a new thing...a new song...a new life!

Like Nicodemus, I wonder if we in America are barely aware of the potential and power of what Jesus’ living water can bring when we fully let go of all that we carry...our agendas, our material things, daily worries, expectations and demands; and fully give our lives to his mission and His Spiritual power to witness for Jesus. Going to Africa opened my eyes and my heart to this power and what it looks like when God IS present transforming a nation...a people...a human soul...into his children. And like Nicodemus, I won’t ever be the same again.

Like the Samaritan Woman, I wonder if the tribal Maasi people of Tanzania, the orphans, mountain village farmers, young boys and girls, old men and mama’s could have ever imagined what Jesus could do to transform their lives into a place of hope with a future where their children might be educated and serve as leaders, committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and called to bring peace and healing to their part of the world? They surely dance and sing as if they have a witness that cannot be contained! They surely give with abandonment, and receive with authentic thanksgiving to God as the giver of all gifts.

And so today...as I have asked you to share this small part of this Tanzania experience with me, I also ask you to consider a new kind of truth. The truth that when Jesus’ gives living water...when Jesus calls us into Mission...when Jesus transforms human life...EVERYTHING CHANGES, AND NONE OF US CAN EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. This is the baptism of water and spirit and the living water that Jesus offers. There is none other. And once you drink of His living water, your soul will never thirst again. As the students in the secondary schools have been taught to say in English...God is so good...all the time! Praise Him! Amen.

GUIDED BY THE GOSPEL: GATHERING • GROWING • GIVING