The school

Mark 10:29-The verse the kept speaking to Jack
Isaiah 54-The verse that told him to build a school
Matthew 25:34-The verse that showed him that the Bible will always teach him something, no matter how many times he reads it.
Joshua 3-The motto

The dorms

The African Bible College that we stayed at was amazing.  The couple who founded and built the school, Jack and Nell Chinchen, also happen to be the parents of my lead pastor at our church, Palmer.


Bodega, a place to study

The background of how Jack and Nell started this school is no less than a God thing. Jack grew up in a wealthy family and had a bright future to take over the family business of pear farming, when he speaks about it, he mentions that this was exactly what he wanted to do with his life. He had no intention to follow God and His mission for him.  Of course that all changed, when Jack met Nell. They met, fell in love, got married and after many years of having herself and her friends pray for Jack, Nell finally bought Jack a Bible, hoping he would start reading it. Her prayers were answered, and Jack started reading, and reading, not truly understanding, one day while out on the farm, Jack knew he heard Gods voice tell him to quit the family business and follow God. Jack says he immediately ran to his house and let everyone know what he was just called to do. Jack was 33 years old. 

He eventually went to seminary school, and while still in school was asked to lead a church, which grew immensely.  But Jack found that this was not what God had in mind. God said that His plans were to go to the places where God is not known, Africa.

Student center, and office of Live Love Malawi

One of the homes of the Chinchens

So Jack and Nell along with their 4 kids went to Africa, they lived in the deep jungles of west Africa for many years, the only way to get to their home/hut, made of bamboo, was by a small plane. Nell, a nurse, opened a clinic, for those many years this what Jack and his family did, but once again Jack was called to grow more, and build a college in Africa, he knew that building a school would help the people of Africa get an education and become leaders in their own country.

Just outside the cafeteria. To the left is a volleyball court and a huge gym.

 

Radio station

 

Jack had doubts about Gods plan to leave and go somewhere else, but he knew it was time to go when his small home made of bamboo burned down.  A friend told him that he could stay at a guest home in a place that Jack describes as 'Shangri-la' in a small village where a Swedish mining company was. Once there he knew this was where he wanted to build the college, but how? He was told to speak to the president of the company.  Jack knew that something big was going to happen, he was barely in this new town and he was already given the name of the president.  When he walked into his office the president was reading his Bible, and Jack knew this was it. He told him why he was there and the president was elated, he asked Jack if he had a car and took him to the window of his office the over looked all the village, and he told Jack to find the best land to put his college. By the end of that day, Jack had the land and him and the president went over the plans.  Once they were done Jack was told to see the President of Liberia William Tolbert Jr. who was able to get him the people he needed and the okay to start building.

 

He needed half a million dollars to build this college, he went back to America to raise money, and was able to raise it in 6 months. In 1978 the first ABC was born, by an old pear farmer, who had never built anything, or taught in a school.

As of 2005 there are 3 ABC colleges.  Jack and Nell still live in Liberia. Their son Paul (Palmers twin brother), and their sister live at the Malawi college, and the third college is in Uganda.

My room

(I did not take too many pictures of the school, even though we were told to look around and explore, there really was no time. The campus is about the size of a standard community college, the staff live on campus and have their own homes.  The campus is on a gated community build of bricks, and there are guards 24/7 to keep out intruders. They have basketball, tennis, volleyball, Frisbee golf and more on the campus, they won the championship in basketball this past year, which is Jack's favorite.)

What God has....

Ephesians 5:1-2

I was reading the verse of the day from You Version.  Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT

"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ, He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."

What does this verse mean to you?

To me, this verse says that I am to do what God does with people, but how?  God knows things before they happen.  He knew his disciples would deny Him, abandon Him, betray Him, and he still loved them, but He knew that he needed them at that time and He knew that they had free will to do so, because He gave it to them.  How would God have reacted if He was told to just believe without knowing what these men were going to do this?  Would He have continued to love them after they came back and apologized? After He came back from the dead?

Tell me, would it be easier for you to love your neighbors, if you already knew how they were going to be, how they were going to react, how they were going to judge you, how they were going to gossip, how they were going to be the best version of God toward you?

I think so, I think that if I knew what people were feeling before hand, it would be easier to react toward them. I could change my approach depending on the person, and say things softer or harsher. People have a tendency to be nice on the surface, no matter what they are really thinking. You can ask someone how they are, and they will tell you, 'I'm fine,' when they are not. I personally look angry or upset most of  the time, when I am not, but I also react harshly to situations pretty quickly, and yet I am actually fine, but that is not what it looks like, I also have a hard time showing/expressing my emotions in other areas, try giving me a surprise and watch how I react, most people who know me, know I won't give you anything, I don't mean to look or seem ungrateful, I truly am [grateful], but it's not how I am wired, but give me a surprise that I am aware of, it's a whole different ball game.

God wants us to imitate Him, copy Him.  But He did not give me everything He has, the ability to know what people are thinking, what they are going to do next, what they are going to give me, how they will treat me, He did not give me the ability to walk on water, to make more fish out of a few fish.

Or am I just thinking about this too hard?  I also read a blog post today that told briefly of the Good Samaritan, http://branthansen.com/2014/08/05/  and how God just wants us to stop and be kind and love, no matter what day it is, no matter who the person it is, no matter what you have done in this life, just like He does. Is it that simple? Probably.