20
February 2016 • SR
Sitting with the Seventh Day Baptist
leaders in Bujumbura, Burundi, we talked
and prayed about the struggles of doing
ministry in their country. Neither the pastor
that came with me nor I had little that
compared with their challenges in our
own ministries. However, as they shared
about political struggles in their country,
persecution of their ministers, and a lack
of personal and ministry resources, we
remembered a great example that we
knew personally in our ministry alliance
that had these challenges and more.
This minister of the gospel we thought of
was also assigned to a developing world
country that even had an occupying army
of a foreign power. He did not have a
supply of discipleship or training materials
or Bibles to share in the local language.
He had no computer or car of his own, nor
ready access to a cell phone or internet.
Many would have thought his ministry
was a failure because at the end of his
service he only had a dozen or so ready
to take up the ministry; of them, one for-
sook the gospel while he was still in the
country. Ultimately, he was killed by rival
religious factions and displayed as an
example for those that take the path that
we are committed to follow.
Of course, the minister we were thinking
of was our Lord, Jesus Christ. He had
warned us that following Him means we
should expect to be despised by the world
and have a life with troubles. Reflecting
on the challenges of our Lord put in per-
spective our problems. It reminds us of
our dependence on Jesus for our strength
Clinton R. Brown
Executive Director
FOCUS on Missions
The Narrow Path in Burundi
For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it: but whosoever will lose his
life for my sake, the same shall save it.
— Luke 9:24
Buganda SDB Congregation
Street in Buganda Community
Gilbert Nduwayo (front 6th) and pastors of SDB Burundi Conference
with Johnmark Camenga and Clint Brown
