Great Wittness Day

Something must have been in the air yesterday.  It was a great wittness day for me.  I am not talking about people at the Chapel, other Christians for the most part but several people that were not Christians who I was able to share the Gospel and Jesus Christ with.

The first opportunity came when I left the CRSP Yard to go over to the Chapel.  One of the workers came into my office and asked for the keys to the truck.  He indicated that he was going out to perform some container inventories.  I asked him where as I need to go over to the Chapel for the 11:00 service.  It was just barely 10:00 so it was a little early but anyway he was going just by the Chapel so I asked if he could drop me off.

This man who is from Macedonia, on an earlier occsion had had a conversation with me regarding trying to get a job volunteering for organizations that may help people.  He wanted to spend time just working in an area for no pay that would be for the good of others. I suggested some ways of finding these types of jobs and left it at that. 

On this car ride he asked what I would be doing when I arrived back home.  SO I began to explain how I planned first just to spend the summer with my family.  In the Fall I told him I would be beginning school again, that I had enrolled in five class for my Masters.  Inquiring, he asked for what degree in which I answered Biblical studies.  This began us on the conversation about faith.

He beileves in God he said but that He was in many things. That there was not just one way to know God, many paths if you will.  With that statement I began to wittness just in regards to Jesus Christ to him, what my faith was, and how there could be only one absolute truth so having many ways to God may present some issues of truth to those that believed that. 

It was a verty good conversation as we traveled around the base. As he dropped me off at the Chapel we said our goodbyes.  Before he left I invited him in for the service.  He didn't show up but at least the seeds were planted and the conversation went well.

Now that I was about forty minutes early I went to take a walk through the PX and then through the Afghan PX just to see if there was anything interesting or needed for my trip home.  Not seeing anything in either I walked back towards the Cahpel and past the Smoke Pit.  There sitting having a cigerette was a soldier who I had met during this weeks Manly Men group.  He said hello so I went in and sat across from him.

He asked me about what my plans were when I returned home as he had know that I was within a coupkle weeks of leaving.  This of course brought us along the same path that the previous converrsation took. He stated though that he was planning on finnishing his degree in Political Science and hopfelly teaching.  As we spoke we bgabn to compare and contrast religion and polotics, paticularly how people don't like to speak about either.  As we spoke another Soldier sat down to have a smoke.

Shortly after sitting this new soldier began into the conversation expressing isssues with theology and the like.  Now I did not gather if the second soldier was a Chrsitian or not, the first soldier was but seemed not to be big on organized religion.  So as we all spoke the discussion became more focussed o the faith aspect.  Always a better place to be when speaking to people about such things. 

Within a couple more minutes two more soldiers had enter the smoke pit and began to interact with the conversation.  These two were obviously not walking in faith and had some stronger opinions of God and what He was and wasn't.  All in all this conversation was good, and lasted just up until the service in the Chapel began. 

Sunday evenings we have Holy Smokes, a group that gets together for cigars and pipes.  this group was started by Chaplin Sharpe as an outreach and fellowship for us here.  It is generally pretty light on the Spirtual issues as it does draw a veriety of people in because of the cigars.  For the last two weeks a new fellow has joined us, an Electrician for another company.  He is a little rough around the edges but a jovial guy.  Along with him a couple of the other guys that are regulars and Christians showed up.

As the eveing progressed the conversation became very faith based paticularly about accountability and fellowship.  It also leaned alot towards Christian manhood, being a good husband and having a good relationship with our wives.  The nice thing was that not only I this time but two of the three guys were Christians and the Electrician became involved in the conversation that we were all having.  Holy Smokes was having its first real outreach to an apperently unsaved man and it was good.

So eventually the night ended and I walked back towards the LSA with the Electrician.  I invited him to our Thursday night Manly Men group and explained what it was to him.  He seemed interested as we parted ways.  I walked the rest of the way in the dark back to the LSA thinking about the many opportunities that I was involved in during the day.  I thanked God for each and prayed that the seeds that were sown may then be watered and grow..

Lord Jesus, be with each person that heard the Word yesterday.  Allow them to set in their hearts, if not already there, the Truth of your Gospel and the saving Grace that comes from faith in you Lord.  I am thankful to have been blessed with the opportunity to serve you.  Amen.