Newsletter of David Wilson
CHRISTMAS 2024
"Behold, the virgin will be with child, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
Dear Friend,
The prophet Isaiah spoke these words 700 years before Jesus was born. Who was this child that lay in a manger? Far more than a religious teacher or prophet. He was, and is, God. The child was totally unique. No wonder the angels shouted, “Glory to God in the highest.” God had become a man, and was on the greatest mission of love the world has ever seen. The Son of God had come to die for our sins so that we could live forever. Through faith in Him, we can have the greatest Christmas gift of all: forgiveness, a new life, and eternal life. Today, the risen Christ commands His followers to take this Good News to the whole world.
CONGO (DRC) Congo is a spiritual harvest field. In 1900, evangelical Christians numbered just over 1% of the population. Today they are about 18%. Formerly known as Zaire until 1997, thousands of Christians and many missionaries were martyred in the Simba Rebellion of 1964. Many have died in tribal conflicts s ince1991, with some still being killed and burned at the stake. Even our director, Fred, has spent a night in jail having been falsely accused. He was released the next day with our van, documents and equipment, and he and our organization were totally cleared.
After almost 40 hours of travel from Florida, I arrived at Fred and Beatrice’s home in Lubumbashi. It was a great joy to see them again, as well as Moses from our second Branch in Goma. The next day we drove 4 hours to the border of Zambia. Here we met the pastor and elders in his church, through whom we would work. The first site for the open air film meeting was in a small remote village one hour away. When the children saw us and heard that we were going to show a film about Jesus, they all began to cheer and dance for joy until they were hidden in a cloud of dust. There had been no rain for about 6 months. That night about 200 came and were totally absorbed in the story of Jesus and in the message. Fred translated my preaching and many responded, including young men with their hands raised high in the air. The pastor instructed them about living for the Lord.
On Sunday, we attended a church service in which the singing went on for 2 hours as group after group sang and danced to beautiful gospel songs of praise. I preached on Jesus as the great I AM. That night we had an open air film meeting in the church yard with 350 attending. On week days, the Lord opened doors in public schools for assemblies, both in Elementary and High Schools. The children and teachers listened in silence to the gospel messages illustrated on our sketch board, with many praying to trust Christ as Savior. All eagerly received our gospel booklets. One principal, a believer, went over the message in detail in their tribal language, making sure the students understood perfectly. We stayed in a cheap hotel, where the water and electricity were rarely on.
As we went to villages night after night, it was the same glorious story. As Fred drove around announcing the film, children and adults gathered up to 3 hours before the meeting. Even saying there was a missionary speaking from America increased the crowd, which sometimes grew to about 1000 people. Judgment Day became my most powerful message, with the Lord bringing conviction of sin. At the end, when invited to repent and trust Christ as Savior, hundreds prayed with loud voices to receive Him. Then they joyfully praised God. Village chiefs publicly responded to Christ as well. When we met the governor of the region, he asked me to pray for him, and then said, “Come any time to our region and see me.” Another official asked for a Bible.
Perhaps the most dramatic meeting came the night before we left. A violent storm broke the drought. There was lightning, thunder and torrential rain. We could not get out of the van, but just sat waiting by the chief’s house. When the rain finally became light, the chief insisted that we show the film. I suggested to Fred that probably no one would come to this field as lightning was still around and rain was falling. But Fred said, “Let’s do it!” So he drove around announcing the film while we set up. A line of people began to come and formed a crowd of about 600 as the film began. Light rain fell as I preached, but God held the people, and many responded to Christ. Only God knows who is born again, but it was evident that He was truly at work. The photo shows Fred at a school in Lubumbashi.
PARAGUAY
Back in 1981-83, I went to Paraguay several times and trained believers in our methods of evangelism. None of those trained continued doing evangelism. Going up on the housetop in Asuncion, I prayed and asked God to call an evangelist who would serve Him full-time. About 5 years later I met Juan in Brazil at “Word of Life Bible College”, where I was training students. He was a Paraguayan, and he was the man I was waiting for! Two years later, I began OAC Paraguay with Juan and his friend, Felipe. This year OAC Paraguay reached over 150,000.
Felipe showed me a Baptist church that was planted through open air meetings. I had the privilege of preaching at their baptism service where 9 were baptized in a nearby swimming pool. We also did school assemblies, where up to 800 students attended. Many responded to Christ. In one school, even the vice-principal stood, raised his hand high, and prayed to trust Christ as his Savior. Felipe’s son, now on staff, was my translator. He has also become the videographer for reports they put on Facebook. So many students and teachers are watching that they have started what they call CALTV every Friday night (CAL is OAC in Spanish). Each episode includes interviews with Christian teachers and students where they share their experiences. Several thousand are watching with up to 70 calling in during a program. A gospel message is always given at the end, which I was privileged to do twice.
FIVE SEWING SCHOOLS IN SOUTH ASIA
For safety reasons we cannot give the name of the country. We are required to provide a service for the poor in order to send funds to our evangelists. Our director writes: “Chander, originally from a non-Christian background, enrolled in the sewing school. After a few days, her life began to change due to our devotions. She began to learn Christian songs and read the Bible. A few months ago, she gave her life to Jesus. She now regularly attends church and is the only member of her family who has accepted Christ. She is unmarried and wants to marry a believer. In another sewing school, we have 30 Muslim students. Most of them regularly attend our devotions, and some of them are very interested in knowing more about Jesus. They start to share their problems with the pastor's wife, who takes the devotions, and she prays with them. God started to work in their lives, and now 3 of them accepted Christ.”
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Tom Fox, from Baltimore, writes: “I had the privilege to pray for you in our morning worship service today. I had a woman come up to me who told me she was led to the Lord by you decades ago when she was a 5 year old girl.” At the Baptist church I attend, I was privileged to present the gospel to about 400 children. God blessed the VBS with much fruit, and 33 were baptized. One girl told me that Miss Elaine, my beloved wife, had taught her in school about Jesus.
PLEASE PRAY
THANK YOU from the depths of my heart to those who are continuing to support me with your prayers and financial gifts. I am not paid any salary for my living or ministry expenses. Thank you also to those who are supporting our national evangelists (either directly or through WHERE MOST NEEDED). We all live totally by faith in God to provide through His dear people.
Donations can be made online by clicking here.
Compelled by His Love,
David Wilson