He told me a story from his first ministry assignment. The rebels had come to kill him, but relatives of his enemies had warned him and he spent the whole day hiding in mangrove trees in order to escape.
[My wife] told me another story of this man fleeing from his house above the water… as the man who came to kill him was blind to his escape.
The bullet intended for him due to his preaching of the gospel until this day has never found its target. Yet this man, [my wife’s] great uncle, sits wasting away in his personal “prison.” What he calls his prison is his bed. He lies there, bedridden from a debilitating disease. His mind is still good. He is a man honored and revered among local believers.
I am seldom in his city, but on this last trip I got the chance to visit “Lolo.” I had heard he wanted to preach but couldn’t. So, the few days I was there, I brought my computer and microphone along and he got to preach four sermons. We will send the recordings to long time friends who haven’t seen Lolo in years.
As Lolo got the chance to preach, he gained strength. Every time I saw him, I could see his joy to be used again by God. It brought me joy to bring him joy. His recorded sermons are treasures and will certainly be cherished by believers. Please pray for Lolo. He might not be free from his “prison” until he is eternally free. That time could be soon. It could be in the far future. May he feel the love that the church has for him, and always be confident that God is with him and loves him even while he remains in his “prison.”