A Privilege to Suffer for Christ

We visited this village on the last Tuesday. We had run out of minus glasses but a friend's contribution allowed us to purchase 95 pair of eyeglasses so we could do the clinic. The "under construction" church, sprinkled with Believers when we arrived, filled up with the unconverted "spectators". At the conclusion of the Gospel Message, 20 people indicated they were accepting Christ as the one true God and as Lord and Saviour. As people poured in for the clinic, it seemed on the verge of uncontrol at any moment. As the day wore on, more an more people crowded in. Benjamin saw we were running low on glasses, and knowing that more would be coming as the workers came from the fields, he suggested we close up (hurriedly). It's always hard to leave those latecomers begging without giving something to show the love of Christ. But all the suitases were closed, and we loaded up the van. Still onlookers were begging with actions indicating pain and poor eyesight! The village women at the well had been arguing for a while, so tension was high. As we left the church (praying for the Pastor, his family, and the ministry, they had such sweet smiles of rejoicing on their faces. (127 of the 250 seen in the cinic had prayed to receive Christ). In the van, Benjamin told us the "rest of the story". A few weeks before, some of the opposing religion in the village had beaten the Pastor and his wife. They said they counted it a privilege to suffer for Christ and had welcomed the opportunity to do good to their enemies that day. Some of those who had beaten the Pastor were in the congregation and/or clinic, and they came to him and assured him that it would never happen again as they had seen him give so willingly and joyfully that day. How long since you suffered for the Gospel?