By an ICR field worker

“We drive through the desert for a long time. After a longed-for rain, the desert is no longer sandy; everything is in bloom. Green meadows stretch to the horizon, and the white flowers scattered across resemble snow. Everything is happy – and so are we because we are going to see 55 people be baptized.

The tribe lives in the desert. Life only works if everyone sticks together. Together, they worship a power that rules everything. Many of them are questioning their beliefs and rites, and since ICR’s partners have been coming by regularly to tell them about Jesus, many men and women have begun turning to Jesus.

When we pull up in the jeep, everyone is already there: 55 people. Seasoned men, older women, teenagers, and girls. Standing among them is the pastor who has been accompanying them for some time and telling them about Jesus. He is beaming.

There have already been baptisms in nine other villages, and today is the day for this village. They dug a hole in the ground, and the water looks very muddy, but that can’t dampen their joy. One by one, they climb into the water hole. Many of them have never had their heads under water before.

Normally, everyday life for men and women takes place separately – the two genders hardly ever spend any time together. Here at the waterhole it’s different, however, because everyone is together.

As each new believer is baptized, more joy accumulates. The people are beaming – today is a new beginning. They start to sing and dance, and it is contagious.

The pastor says, ‘We are grateful for what God is doing in us. These people are strong cattle breeders. They believe in one God. It is not easy for them to find Jesus; their culture has many prohibitions and is very narrow-minded. They break out of old traditions; the culture is exactly the opposite of Christianity. These 55 people are coming out of the darkness, and we are very happy about that.’”