The God of Justice

Greetings from Burundi, where we are having an entrepreneurship training with 400 youth this week. We'd appreciate your prayers!

In our trainings, we seek to help people understand how they reflect the characteristics of God through their work, as image bearers.  We consider six different attributes of God:  He is revelatory, creative, providential, just, compassionate, and redemptive.  Most of our work fits into one of these six characteristics.  Most of the time, people in the workshop recognize themselves in each of these categories, except one:  Justice.

I've wondered why that is - is it that the church doesn't attract people who are in the field of justice or people who choose the field of justice are not typically Christian?  Or is it just that those who are in justice aren't attracted to our workshop?  

Thankfully, this seems to be changing with several of our partners.  The DML team in Burundi has been invited to engage senators, justices, and the police department with topics relating to faithfulness in the workplace.  Our partner in Tanzania is seeing the prison ministry embracing DML and teaching the prison staff as well as the prisoners about work as worship.  

And on Friday night, while still in Togo, we had a visit from brother Charles (pictured on the right with Pastor Theo on the left) who went through the DML training in January and has turned himself into a trainer.  He is CEO of a Security Guard company, with about 40 guards.  Security guards are everywhere you go in Africa - it is one of the largest job opportunities across Africa.  Churches, businesses, homes  - all have 24/7 security guards.  Yet the people are often not paid well, and are expected to work seven 12-hour shifts per week, with no days off.  This can result in the guards stealing from those they are supposed to be protecting.

Charles felt convicted after the DML workshop as he realized that he was not contributing to the flourishing of his employees.  He began to change his perspective on his business, from viewing it as a means for profit, to viewing it as a means to bring flourishing to his employees and customers.  Since January, he has seen a tremendous change in his security guards and in his company.  He had brought this training to other security guard companies as well, and has been hired by one large company to do all the training of their employees.  He has started attending Bible school as he wants to learn more about discipleship in the workplace.  He says he now loves his work. We thank God for Charles and how he has embraced and applied this message!  

We also have an upcoming opportunity in Cameroon, where the government, educators, church, and businesspersons are coming together for a two day conference to discuss how these institutions can work together.  They will be launching the BAM Cameroon ministry at this event, and our prayer is that we may stop pointing fingers at each other and rather find a way to come together for the flourishing of the nation and all citizens.  

They do have needs to meet this budget and I would humbly request your prayerful consideration to support this effort.  DML has already contributed some funds toward this conference, but as more is needed, I would invite you read more about its purpose and needs by clicking here.  If you decide to partner with us in this effort, please click here if you are in the US or here if you are in Canada (find my name in the drop down for missionaries in Africa).  Please put "BAM Cameroon" in the comment section.

We thank you in advance for your consideration!  Please continue to pray with us as we continue to share the good news that work is a gift of God - something to be treasured and done with excellence - not part of the curse!