Bintu

Carl "hanging out" with Bintu while she cooks lunch. 

Bintu is a Jalunga woman who works for us.  Twice a week she comes to our place and cooks, cleans, and does the laundry.  She has been a tremendous blessing to Lindsay, as her working here on those days frees Lindsay up to focus on homeschooling earlier in the day, do baking, catch up on extra desk work, and also have a more laid back morning with the kids. 

 Even more important than the work she does for us is the fact that right now Bintu is hearing the teaching of God’s Word for the first time.  She is the wife of Janji, one of the men that Aaron has been teaching for the past year and a half.  After hearing the “Creation to Christ” teaching in 2011, Janji told Aaron that he also wanted his wives to hear.  So this past year Aaron started going through the lessons again, this time with Janji and his family together. 

From the beginning, Bintu has shown a keen interest in all that Aaron has taught.  Nearly every time that they study she asks questions that indicate that she is truly thinking about what Aaron is saying.  And comments like, “Harouna, when are we going to find out about the one who can take care of our sin problem?” reveal that she is feeling the weight of her sin. 
 
Last week, while she was at our place working, she came upon a book of Caroline’s – a child’s book about Jesus.  She picked it up and started looking at it.  She asked me, “Is this about God’s Word?”  I told her that it was the story of Jesus.  I asked her if she knew about Jesus and she answered, “Oh yes, I know who He is.”  (They have recently started studying the stories in the New Testament.)  I went to the kids’ room to continue school and she stayed in the kitchen to clean.  After about 30 minutes I went back to the kitchen to get something, expecting her to have long finished her work in there.  I walked in and the kitchen was still un-swept and un-mopped.  Bintu was just putting down the book as I walked in.  I wasn’t bothered in the least.  I was actually glad and encouraged to see that expression of her interest in Jesus.  She has said to me on more than one occasion, “When we are done studying with Harouna, maybe I will know and understand [all about Jesus] too”. 

Here is one more illustration of Bintu’s desire to hear God’s Word:  On a regular basis Aaron teaches Mamadu, the guy who lives and works with us.  They sit out in the yard and study in the afternoon.  Last week they were studying on one of Bintu’s workdays.  She had finished her work and was sitting alone and relaxing before her walk home.  Aaron and Mamadu were studying across the yard.  I went outside a few minutes later and she had scooted her chair about halfway across the yard and was sitting there listening.  A little while later I went out again and she was sitting with Aaron and Mamadu, engrossed in the lesson.  Her walk home was postponed and she spent the next hour or so (after studying) listening to a recording of Aaron’s past teachings. 

It is encouraging to see this desire that the Lord is working in Bintu’s heart.  We are very aware that Satan would love nothing more than to distract Bintu from studying and get her to focus on other things.  Please pray that the Lord would protect Bintu and that He would keep her desire to hear His Word strong.  Please pray that Bintu would place her faith in Jesus as her Savior.