ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) – Sunday, May 4, Nathan and Taryn Dirks found themselves bouncing through a red-soil-and-thornbush landscape familiar to many as the stomping ground of Mma Ramotswe, the heroine of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Like the famous sleuth from Botswana, the Dirks and six young leaders from Spiritual Healing Church were on a mission, driven to save people from injustice and the consequences of sin.
The Dirks, jointly appointed by Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Church Canada Witness, continue a ministry of Mennonites walking alongside the African Initiated Churches of Botswana that dates to 1975. They work with congregations in the areas of sustainable community development and Bible teaching.
“Given the large numbers of young adults in the African Initiated Churches, Nathan and I found that it was beneficial to connect with peers in our own age group,” Taryn Dirks said, describing the couple’s ministry since they arrived in Botswana 18 months ago.
Nathan Dirks said that the six youth leaders are strong followers of Jesus who spend time reading the Scriptures to know what Jesus is all about, and then they try to live like Jesus, building loving relationships as they volunteer in local prisons, help in a school for special-needs children, and coordinate sports development projects.
“The Bible encourages us to serve people in captivity, in hospitals, and whosoever needs our attention,” said Khumo Mosalagae, one of the youth leaders.
On this Sunday, the Dirks and the youth leaders headed to the village of Molepolole to fulfill a promise made to Moruti Madimabe, one of the key national leaders of Spiritual Healing Church and a professor at an agricultural college in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city. Madimabe was concerned about the exodus of young people from his congregation because, according to the youth, “there was no power in the church.” He wanted the Dirks and the youth leaders from Gaborone to share their passion for following Jesus.
In addition to developing youth programs, the couple worked to establish an introduction-to-the-Bible curriculum, some certificate programs, and topical Bible studies. In this way, service is informed by what is learned from immersion in the biblical message.
“There’s been great success in these areas because the young adults in our churches are some amazing people,” Nathan said. “In going to the places that Jesus calls us, we’ve been blessed with an abundance of unexpectedly awesome community, which keeps on growing.”
Jesus’ message inspires the youth to move out from the walls of the church and into some places with formidable walls. One of their ministries takes them inside Gaborone’s First Offenders Prison.
“We look forward to worshiping in prison every Saturday,” Taryn said. “It’s actually our favorite place to do church. It’s a community there and everyone’s walls are down. So often in the churches outside of prison, we all keep our guard up.”
In the prison, people who committed horrible crimes are experiencing conversion.
“Hearing the stories of the inmates, and getting to know them as friends, we are seeing transformation from hate and selfish consumption, to love and selfless sacrifice. We are witnessing the power of God in its subtly revolutionary way,” Nathan said.
After the weekend visit, the Molepolole youth were infected by the contagious excitement of their friends from Gaborone. Plans were made for a follow-up visit to study the Bible together, before starting to serve the Molepolole community.
“We learn a lot every time we meet,” said Milton Madikwe, a leader in the Bible studies and the prison ministry. “Our hearts sing a song, ‘Re ta thaba ha re kopana’ (We are glad when we meet), for we always look forward to being together.”
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
