fishing?

i never really liked fishing...

...until now.

i've been getting to know this zimbabwean man named simba.  he and i are pretty similar...kindred spirits you might say.  and i love spending time with him...talking about jesus.  

he loves jesus.

we have been meeting together almost daily...doing life together the best way we can considering the limitations we must accept at this present time...and studying the bible...discussing life...praying for miracles...and drinking zimbabwean tea...eating rice...and laughing...

a lot.

simba and i are learning together about what it means to make disciples. and we have begun to enjoy the way Jesus called his disciples to be fishers of men. this always seemed to be such an elementary way of looking at discipleship...and yet...it...just...makes...sense.

after discussing how we too have been called to be fishers of men...we have decided to take our fishing more seriously. 

so now when simba and i see each other...he will often lean over to me and in the most nonchalant way ask me...

"did you go fishing today?"

and i will smile and know exactly what he means.  or other times i will...between sips of tea...ask simba with a smile on my face...

"did you go fishing today?"

and he will smile and know exactly what i mean.

and we will share with one another how God has created opportunities to go fishing every single day...to pray for healing...to encourage the poor and the fatherless...to seek justice amongst the oppressed...and most importantly...

to draw all of these to Jesus...to show them his wonderful love...to point to Him completely. 

not only have i been challenged by simba's question...and he by mine...but i know that we are both encouraging one another to become better fisherman...growing in the desire to please Jesus. 

and so a lazy summer afternoon activity that i once counted as dull and a waste of time has now become the pace of my life...something that i have come to love...

...and a growing reminder to me and so many others that the kingdom of God is infact...here.