Pastor (Maruti) James of Old Naledi

Good morning. I woke at 4am last night after going to bed at 9pm. I had to hit the couch to keep from waking Tricia as I had a difficult time going back to sleep. But, I was able to get a little more sleep on the couch with Shadow helping for a few minutes to show me how it's done.


I want to take a few minutes to talk about a great and noble man, Pastor (Maruti in Setswana) James of Old Naledi Fellowship. I also plan to put more of his story and the story of the church on a web site I am making for the church. Hope to have that going soon once I get Boston and Columbus out of the way.

Maruti James came to know Christ as his personal Savior when working construction on a water project near the Kgale Hills of Gaborone, Botswana. He told us some men witnessed to him while working on the job and he then formed a church in his Old Naledi neighborhood with one of the men from the work project. Their first meeting was so crowded they had to go across the street to a vacant lot (aka trash dump) to hold prayer service. The church continued to grow but Maruti James moved away with his family for work and education. When he later returned to his old neighborhood, he found the church had fallen and disbanded. He knew God wanted him to build the church again; so, he called on his old friend who helped him form the church and decided to reform the church in his neighborhood.

His very first service as "Maruti" of the church was attended by a band of street orphans and little boys. Maruti had the wisdom to know that God wanted him to start his church with these boys and if that is the way it was to start, then it would be. Now, years later, those same boys are now the cornerstone of his growing church. These boys that Maruti ministered and fathered are now his crew and staff. Maruti's faith in God's plan was true and God has blessed the church with men who have been literally saved from prison and death by the grace and love of God.

Now, here's the interesting part. Remember that empty lot where the first prayer service was held? God has such an awesome way of showing his blessing on those who have faith. It might not be instantaneous (like we all want) and can require much more faith than we ever thought possible. Well, that empty lot and the very corner where the first prayer service was held is now the ground of the sanctuary that was started last week while we were in country digging the hardest dirt on the face of the planet. That corner of the trash dump is now the ground floor of a mighty church that will continue to be a shining light to the hard dirt streets of the Old Naledi neighborhood. Despite the HIV/AIDS crisis, the 40% unemployment rate and the depressed economy, Old Naledi Fellowship will be there for the children and families as a safe place and an altar to the faithfulness of God. Thank you Maruti James for giving me the opportunity to work alongside you and see what God is doing in one area of Africa.

Before we primed the steel supports that were erected in the 2 spade by 2 spade and 1 meter deep holes (I know exactly how deep and wide we struggled to get them!), I wrote John 13:34 on the beams. Others wrote scripture verses that reflected what God was telling them through the hard work and determination of these people and that place. Forever, that structure will hold the power of those words given to us by Christ. I am just honored to have been able to write those words, dig those holes and paint those beams. Thank you God for that opportunity! Please remember to pray for Maruti James and his family and all of the people of Old Naledi Fellowship and Gaborone, Botswana.

See ya!