Sometimes, saying farewell is a very difficult thing. When beloved brethren move to a different location it leaves a sad void in the congregation. This happened a few years ago at the Kwa Mrombo church of Christ, the congregation where I serve as the local preacher. Our sister, Salome Remmy, moved from Arusha to Dar es Salaam, a city well over 7 hours away. Salome’s husband had taken a new job and required their move. Salome’s husband was not a Christian and it was easy for him to uproot and move.
When Salome moved to Dar she was a baby in Christ. She took with her a tract titled Lifahamu Kanisa la Kristo which, translated, means Getting to know the church of Christ. For over a year Salome searched for a congregation where she could worship. I spoke with her several times trying to encourage her and give her directions to congregations I was aware of but to no avail. Dar is a city of over four million people and it was all but impossible for her to find a place to worship.
While doing her best to find a congregation, Salome studied the tract she had taken with her. Not only was she studying it, she began using it to teach others what it said as well. In her neighborhood there was a Pentecostal church where her husband sporadically attended. Salome did not want to attend, but her husband forced her to do so.
While attending Pentecostal Bible studies Salome used the tract to ask the preacher questions. Time after time he failed to give a satisfactory, biblical, answer. This piqued the curiosity of those who were in the class with her. The class took the tract, made 15 copies, and all of them read it. All of them wanted to study further! Salome gave me a call asking me to come to Dar to conduct the Bible studies. Instead of me going, I informed her that there were plenty of brethren in Dar who would be glad to come and help with the studies. I called one of our graduates, Edwin Kashumba, to see if he would be willing to go and he quickly replied that he was ready for the task. Shortly thereafter, Salome called me crying, saying, “I didn’t know that one day I could help someone find the right way to heaven!” This call came after she had seen 7 souls added to the kingdom the night before and one of them was her husband! What a joyful occasion!
We thank God that He is so good. Please pray for Salome, her husband, and the congregation they have started in the Tegeta area of Dar es Salaam.
I am reminded of the apostle Paul’s words when he said “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6).
Let us keep on planting the seed, keeping it watered, and have faith that our Lord will give the increase. To Him be the glory!
Charles Heberth