Here is a testimony from Maasai land where the booklets are being used:
“We had a drought for a long time. We lost all that we had, and we had no hope.
One day, as we were waiting to receive some relief food from the government, a pastor came and started reading to us some stories in our language. We were desperate as we had waited for a week now without food and water.
Every day we were promised that help would arrive so we would go very early to the square to wait. The day became better as we listened to the stories which made us relax a lot.
The pastor kept coming every day and would read the lessons as we waited. One day, I confronted him and asked him that if there was truly a God and if He had promised to send us a Savior, then why does He not see our problems?
We have no food and no water and all of our animals are dead, but you tell us there is a God?
The pastor was calm, however, and told me that God’s time would be coming. He encouraged me to continue listening to the stories, and that I would see God send a Savior and rain as well.
I have been a typical Moran who did not believe in God, so I challenged the pastor.”
Note from Ben:
In the Maasai tribe, a Moran is the top of the top. To become a Moran, you are sent to the bush for many months where you are trained as a soldier and given responsibilities to become the best of the best. In the bush, they are only given a knife and a staff which they must use to hunt for food as well as to protect themselves. One can only be regarded as a real Moran when you kill a lion single handedly (this has been stopped by the government). These men automatically become the kings of their clans.
“I told the pastor that if God sends us food in three days, then I would become a Christian. The pastor agreed to my challenge, and gave me some booklets to read during the three days.
I did not go to school, but I can read my own language which is Maasai.
I read in the booklets how God had saved the children of Israel from Egypt, how God gave Israel bread from heaven, and even water from a rock. I was ready to experience this if indeed it were true.
To my surprise, when I went to meet with the pastor to prove him wrong, I found bales of flour, packets of rice, cooking oil, and water to drink in the church office.
The pastor told me that God had sent the food from America to me and others in the village. (This was from the money that we sent to the Maasai).
I knelt down and gave my life to Christ that very day. I now believe that there is God. I took the food home to my home and shared it with my family. I also read the stories to my children.
I tell them that God is the real Moran because He provided when I could not. Thank you for the books that have taught me who a true Moran is.”
Keep praying for Maasai as we continue the translation of lessons 31-42.