Coen Scholtz, leader of OM Zambia, tells the story of one young man who wanted to reach out to Muslims in north Tanzania. The young missionary would need the equivalent of $500 US for start-up costs, including a bicycle for transportation and a bed to sleep on, among other necessities. Then he would need $50 a month for expenses.

On the Sunday that Coen visited the church, the entire church tithe was about 25 cents US. Coen challenged the group to raise the entire $500. The group of elders, who could not even afford to pay a pastor, gathered in a corner to pray. They said to Coen, “Listen here. We will take up this challenge. We will send this young man.” Coen went back to the training center, not expecting the $500 to be raised in such an impoverished area. Two weeks later he got a call, “We’ve got the money. When can he go?” The young man became a missionary but it was another 7-8 years before Coen learned the story of how the money was raised.

The following Sunday, one of the elders had declared, “The Lord Jesus is worthy to be known among the Muslim people. Those people are precious in His sight. They need to experience the truth and the love of Christ. We are committed to them. How are we going to find this money?”

One man stood and said, “We don’t have to eat three meals a day, every day.” So they went and measured out some of their maize so that they would have 1-2 meals per day remaining and they went to sell the rest in the market. They still didn’t have enough money so an elderly lady said, “We don’t need more than two shirts and two trousers.” So they sold some of their excess clothes and were able to pool all of this money and send the young man.

Coen says, “I think this story just shares something of the love that Africa is developing for the lost, for people who do not know Jesus.” You can be part of this movement in Africa through the links below.