The Society of the Underground Church...has touched my heart

So there I was, sitting in a very old church. I, of course, had to look all around because I am a very curious person. I was at the church to attend a meeting of Stichting de Ondergrondse Kerk (English version is “the Dutch extension of the Voice of the Martyrs”). I was invited to go by the translator. As he was meeting the people that he was to translate for I walked around looking at everything, cup of coffee in hand (that’s one of the weird things about Holland churches…you’re allowed to have coffee in the sanctuary, whereas in America it’s nearly a sin if you have water in order to survive a cold).

There was a beautiful organ standing (kinda floating) in the back of the church, on the second floor. Actually, the organ was the second floor. I would later hear some amazing musical intercession pieces played by an organ player (I’m still not sure why they were played because we all just sat and listened…I didn’t even recognize the pieces).

After walking around a bit and meeting a few of the speakers (compliments of the translator) the meeting was to begin. They started out with the singing of some songs. The man that did the little opening speech/prayer also announced that all the songs would be sung with rhythm. Translator Ben explained this odd announcement to me. Because this meeting was for anyone there were many people that come from more conservative churches. These churches are so conservative that they believe that a song ought to be sung with whole notes for every word or syllable, otherwise there is a loss of holiness, or something. I don’t quite understand it, myself. However, it’s easy to understand that there’s no beat…or it’s pretty rhythmless. After Ben explained that to me the song service began. After it began, I was grateful that we were singing it with rhythm because this supposedly fast version was slower than just about anything I’d ever sung before!! So, yes, that was interesting.

Eventually, the couple of songs ended. A speaker got up to speak. He was a fiery speaker. His English wasn’t bad at all. I could understand it most times. However, because he was a fiery speaker he often burned through my friends translations. That caused an overlapping of languages, which caused both speakers to be not understandable. It was cool, but funny. The speaker was a very good preacher, but I don’t know anything about his ministry. I know that he works at a Bible School in Lahore, but I only learned that because I went to ask him about another someone with the same last name that I met on the internet a few months ago. Other than that, I don’t know why he was there to speak, except that he preached well. If he had a ministry to represent, I’m not exactly sure what it is. But I did learn a lot from him. I learned to wait for the interpreter to finish before I begin my next sentence. Very important.

The next speaker was a man from the Sudan.  He spoke a very little bit. Mostly, his group of many Sudanese spent their share of the time singing and playing instruments, which was actually very cool! His speaking was also interesting. He spoke English, but I often had to listen to my friend's translation to the Dutch to understand what this speaker was saying. I must say that I’m quite impressed that Ben was able to understand the man’s English at some points. I had a hard time not chuckling. However, after that small section of criticism I will say that I respect and appreciate Mr. Murka very much. He and his family are hard at work in the Sudan, working for God and praising His name with their lives, which is more than I can say for myself at times.

The next speaker was a Dutch guy that is a missionary to Egypt. He was very interesting. He didn’t require my friend's help because they guy already speaks Dutch, so I was forced to understand whether I liked it or not (I liked it). This brother has a television ministry in Egypt. He said that 50% of Egyptians have a satellite dish because they like to try to catch foreign programs to watch. Because of that, his ministry has been able to reach many Egyptians through their television broadcast. He said that 2000 people a month are writing them in response to these Christian programs. He also said that soon he’s supposed to be having a meeting with the police in Egypt. It’s a meeting that they asked for. He asked for prayer because they want to evaluate what the ministry is doing. If they don’t like it, they can kick him out of the country permanently, destroying the ministry. So, dear reader, if you’re a praying person, please remember this brother and his ministry.

The last speaker in the morning was a brother from Zambia. Now HE was a GOOD speaker. It wasn’t only because I could understand his English but I liked him. He was friendly. He was open. He talked about the kids that he’s trying to help. I was able to speak with him before the whole meeting started and during that speak I received an invitation to Zambia to witness the official opening of the school that his ministry is starting. That is something that I would like to do if I am able when that time comes about. This man was able to reach my heart. It made me remember that I’m called to be a missionary. It was moving, and that’s especially powerful because I’ve always been sure that I wouldn’t end up in Africa (which probably means that Africa is exactly where I'll end up).

That concluded the morning, but there was yet more to come. We took a lunch break, at which time I accompanied my friend's parents home so that I could eat their food and drag their youngest son back to the meeting for the afternoon. Mission accomplished. He came.

That afternoon the speaker was Dr. Michael Job from India. He was the main reason that I ended up going to the conference. I wanted to meet this man, whom I’d heard much about. He was very interesting. He told us how he began the orphanage that he has, which contains 220 girls from Christian families that are either martyred or that cannot and do not want to support the girls any longer. If Dr. Job hadn’t taken them in then most of the girls would have ended up forced into early marriages or into prostitution. This was the speaker that caught my heart, that had me close to tears. And it wasn’t because of his words because honestly, even though he’s a passionate speaker, I could say enough negative things about him. But the girls, they caught me. I would go and work at that school with those girls if I thought that this was what I was meant to do now (after finishing my current commitment, of course). These girls live in a huge complex, complete with primary school, high school, and now colleges. It’s a huge place. They live under strict rules and rituals, some that I might think are silly. They have many teachers, but many of those teachers don’t care about the girls. They just teach.

I like kids. I have to like kids because I’m an au pair. If I worked at that orphanage it would be to love the girls and for no other reason. They need somebody to love them to the fullest. That’s what I’d be there to do. I’d work, yes. But all around and throughout that work I’d try to remind the girls what it meant to be loved by somebody for who they are, and individually. I think it’s important. Maybe someday I will end up in that orphanage. It houses girls from the three countries that tug at my heart…India, China (Nepal), and Bhutan. Man! Can you imagine? I can!