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'P' Village: A Community in Need

"P" village had a reputation—and it wasn't a good one.

Men of the community travelled throughout the nearby regions for work, only to return having wasted their earnings on alcohol. With no access to education or hygiene basics, the women fed their families from vessels that hadn't been washed. The sense of defeat could be seen at a glance, as many dressed inappropriately and wore little sense of purpose or dignity. Children roamed the village half-naked when they weren't on the streets begging beside their mothers.

"They didn't know what cleanliness was; they didn't know what it meant to send their children to the school," Pastor Harrison explains. "They didn't know what it means to keep their surroundings clean and hygienic." Pastor Harrison was gripped by the situation and saw that there was a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate in simple ways how deeply their Creator loved and valued each one of them.

But the residents of "P" village had no friends outside their own community. Outsiders despised them for their low social status and their lack of hygiene and education. They'd never venture willingly into the village to help them—but Christ would, and so would His servants.

A Challenging Beginning

Pastor Harrison came to "P" village in 2010 and was shocked to see such harsh living conditions. It was so different to what he was used to—especially the food the residents ate. The men of "P" village were hunters, and because they lived in poverty, their diet consisted of whatever they could capture and kill: tortoises, mongooses, snakes, foxes and even cats. They'd feast on their game and throw the remains by the roadside, letting it sit and rot for days.

"It used to be very difficult to cross this village because of the smell of the meat, and even the remains of the meat or the animals used to be everywhere," Pastor Harrison recalls. "The whole village used to stink. Several times [I] threw up because of the smell in the village when I came in the beginning."

Those early days were challenging for Pastor Harrison as he adjusted to the shock. But he didn't give up hope or decide it was just too uncomfortable to reach these people. The love of Christ compelled him to stay so one more person could hear the Good News that could change their lives.

Once, while Pastor Harrison was visiting a home, a drunken man with a large stick charged him, yelling obscene insults at the missionary who was sharing about Christ and what He had done for them on the Cross. "I was so scared," Pastor Harrison shares, "that I immediately ran from that village. … But when I saw this, I was more determined to share the Good News with these people."

Pastor Harrison prayed every day for the people of "P" village, that the Lord would begin working in their hearts and bring His transformation to their lives. And as he persevered in prayer, he saw God at work.

Those who were sick went to the missionary for prayer, and the Lord healed them. Miracles happened, and people began to listen more attentively to the sacrificial love of Christ that Pastor Harrison shared with them. One after another, hearts changed as they experienced God through His servant.

Yet there was still a great need to help the community of "P" village, and Pastor Harrison knew he needed some help.

Entering Filth and Fertile Ground

Phelia had also come to "P" village to serve as a Sister of the Cross, a woman missionary committed to sharing Christ's love in practical ways, specifically among poor and marginalized people.

Out of consideration for her safety, her leader said she could commute there each day from a nearby village that would have safer, more comfortable accommodations, but Phelia wanted to live with the villagers.

"I don't want to stay in a different place," she told him. "I want to stay in the midst of them, in the village, so I can understand their feelings . . . and they can understand the love that we want to show them."

But living among the villagers wasn't easy. They rarely bathed or washed their clothes. Drunken fights broke out frequently, with men and women shouting vulgar words. When the landlord of the house where Phelia stayed offered her and her fellow Sister of the Cross water, Phelia looked at the glass in shock.

"The glass that she gave [us] really smelled very bad. We were not able to drink from that," Phelia remembers. "Seeing this glass, we were really broken, and we didn't have anything in our hand to give them. All we could do for them was just pray to God Almighty."

Phelia and her co-worker knew adjusting to this community would require more than one prayer, though. They dedicated their first week to fasting and praying; then they began finding ways to help the villagers. They started by sweeping out the village's filthy drains.

Being Uncomfortable to Bear Fruit

Much like Pastor Harrison's experience, "P" village's dirtiness made Phelia wonder if she would ever feel comfortable eating in the villagers' homes. But she and the seven Sisters of the Cross who eventually joined her made a decision to embrace the villagers and share in their lives.

"Slowly we understood that if we don't get to know them closely, we won't be able to have relationships with them," Phelia explains, "[and] we won't be able to understand what real life is like [for them]."

The Sisters of the Cross helped the local women with their chores, took care of their babies and ate the food they cooked. Pastor Harrison also gave out Christmas gifts, arranged for the installation of Jesus Wells and construction of sanitation facilities—items that would greatly alleviate the community's suffering.

By identifying with the people of the community and providing solutions to their physical needs, the Sisters of the Cross eventually earned their trust, and the villagers began listening to their advice. Homes changed as the Holy Spirit dwelt within their hearts.

People stopped drinking and fighting, and a sense of peace filled the community. Women started taking care with how they dressed and cooking in a healthier, cleaner way. Children started going to school, and the Sisters of the Cross taught them how to bathe, brush their teeth, comb their hair and dress neatly. The villagers even began seeing the missionaries as their own family.

"These eight sisters are like our daughters," explains one villager. "We love them because they love us. They brought lots of changes in our family, in our home, in our society and in our children."

The Aroma of Christ

Through the helping hands of Pastor Harrison, Phelia and the other Sisters of the Cross, Christ is transforming "P" village from the inside out.

Outsiders now look at the people of the community in amazement and wonder at the dramatic change. The village that once reeked is now spreading the fragrant aroma of Christ.

"The people around [the village] are impacted by the changes in the people here," Pastor Harrison says. "Lives are changing, and people are impacted by the love and care of the church."

Soon, the vast majority of "P" village's residents proclaimed faith in Jesus. Even when half of the village was away traveling for work, more than 200 people gathered to worship Jesus each week, eager to learn more about the God who cared enough to send His servants to live among them.

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