Evangelistic Efforts in a Costal Town in Tanzania

This incredible story comes to us from Africa, where a small group of adventist youth heard God calling them to reach people living in a very difficult and dangerous area. But before moving ahead, they spent much time in prayer, pleading for God to guide them along Tanzania’s Indian Ocean Coast. There is a town of more than 8 000 inhabitants which are predominantly of a non-Christian Faith.

With more than 99 percent of its inhabitants belonging to that faith, it is known to be a highly superstitious town, causing many people to fear it and its people. Several attempts were made over the years to introduce the town’s people to the three angels’ messages, but none was successful.

The Risky Mission Started

However, in the year 2000, a group of young people dared to conduct an evangelistic series in this town. Knowing that the work ahead was delicate and risky, they decided to spend two weeks in earnest prayer, pleading for God’s intervention for the salvation of the people there.

Amazingly, a few days later, they received permission from the town government to hold religious meetings in that town. Then it became public knowledge that adventists would be conducting the meetings there. These young people continued to pray earnestly and decided to have special times of prayer early in the morning by the seashore, before the people of the town were even awake.

An Attempt to Kill

The young adventists faithfully met by the sea every morning before dawn, crying to the Lord on behalf of the town’s people and for the meetings. One morning, a few young people were sent by the town elders to go and find these people and kill them, before they had a chance to hold the meetings in the town.

When it became public knowledge that young adventists would be conducting these meetings, they had learned that the adventist youth started their day in the morning with prayer by the sea at five o’clock. They decided that this would be the best place to try and kill them.

A Wall of Fire

The would-be killers went to the shore, and sure enough, they found the adventist youth kneeling in earnest prayer by the sea. As they approached them, ready to kill, the attackers suddenly saw a wall of fire surrounding the adventist youth. They were of course shocked and dared not to attack. Terrified, they ran away!

The young group of adventists went on with their plans and started the meetings. But the elders of the city still were determined to stop them however they could. So they sent their youth to steal equipment and furniture that were being used for the meeting in an open area.

Another Attempt

One night, they approached the place where the equipment was kept. The would-be thieves saw a very tall man wearing a white gown, holding a shining sword and walking around the equipment. So once again they failed to execute their plan.

Finally, the elders in the city said to these young people: “You’re just cowards, you don’t know how to do these things. We will take matters into our own hands and we will destroy the adventist young people!”

A Final Push

Soon after that, as the meetings were going on in the open area, the elderly people dressed in full traditional regalia, headed through the crowd from the back to the front where one of the adventists was preaching. But before they reached the front, the town elder started running and jumping, screaming: “We’re burning, we’re burning!” They rushed toward the preacher, but then went straight out behind him. While no one saw any flames, the attackers acted as though they were on fire.

Later, these same leaders explained how they wanted to attack the preacher, but they saw a wall of fire surrounding him. After this, the young men of the town approached the adventist young people, inquiring about the superstitious powers that they must be using to protect themselves against the attacks. The adventists told them that they didn’t believe in superstition, having nothing to do with it. They happily explained that they serve the Living God of heaven and have the protection of divine angels sent by God.

It became a big story all over the town and the surrounding towns. In the end, many people were baptized. Even a journalist came from a nationwide newspaper and reported on the story. There are now three organized churches in that town, with a total membership of over 200 people.

Confirmed by Scripture

Did you know that scripture prophesy of this very thing happening, in the book of Zechariah?

“For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.” Zechariah 2:5

Ellen G. White states:

“God smiles upon the humble and lowly ones who follow closely in the footsteps of the Master. Angels are attracted to them, and love to linger about their path. They may be passed by as unworthy of notice by those who claim exalted attainments and who delight in making prominent their good works, but heavenly angels bend lovingly over them and are as a wall of fire round about them.” (SL 13)

“We must seek to separate sin from us, relying upon the merits of the blood of Christ; and then in the day of affliction, when the enemy presses us, we shall walk among the angels. They will be like a wall of fire about us, and we shall one day walk with them in the city of God.” (HP 30)