Earlier this month Allan Caley who now serves with his wife Mandy at NTM-UK North Cotes, visited the village in West Africa where they had previously served as church planters. He travelled with men that had also lived/served in the same village.
It was seven years ago when he last visited and it was fantastic that he could meet up with so many people that he had not seen since that time. It was a very short visit with the purpose of sharing in the people’s joy at receiving and dedicating the New Testament.
The first day was spent meeting people and setting up their sleeping arrangements (five guys squished into a room on mattresses on the floor.) Thankfully, there was an AC unit, however, there was loud music being played in a very near courtyard, so it was hard to sleep. Many of the church ladies had spent most of the night getting the food ready for the many attendees (about 1000) arriving the next day.
The following day was the day of the dedication. Things got underway at about 10am. Amongst the attendees was an advisor to the President of the country who was born in the village, also at least 21 village chiefs of that people group as well as the chief of the whole area. All of these ‘Special Guests’ were presented with a copy of the New Testament by the chief of the village. Allan was presented with an African item of clothing for presenting the Gospel to the village in the year 2000 and accepted another item or two on behalf of Mandy for her part in checking the New Testament translation.
The hardest part emotionally of the whole dedication was the presentation of New Testaments to their co-worker’s translation team, she would have loved to have been there for that special part but had gone to be with her Lord last year. The event ended at around 3pm, it was an extremely hot day with the heat index being well into the 40 degrees Celsius. That night was their last night in the village and thankfully it was a quiet one, so a good night’s sleep was had by all. Sadly, the vast majority (1,750 copies) of the New Testaments are to this day still being held in port, however, 250 copies were brought in earlier in the year by a different means to give out at the dedication.
Leaving the village at about 06:30am the next morning Allan and his companions headed back down to the city where there is an international airport, arriving just as the sun set. He got home two days later. What a trip! Chaotic and quite stressful at times, but they saw that God being given all the glory as the people celebrated receiving the New Testament in their heart language.
Looking back, by the grace of God, Allan says , “It has been an immense privilege for Mandy and I (and all the people who have supported us through prayer and giving over the 42 years that we have been with NTM) to have been a part in reaching these people with the precious news of the Gospel.