The Making Of A Home
By Asbury Sellers
For many years now, my wife Leola and I have answered the Great Commission to spread the good news of the gospel to Africa. We are acutely aware that every person must have the opportunity to be born into the family of God.
After being appointed as Associate Missionaries, God led us to the town of Phalaborwa, South Africa and he brought us into great and heartfelt fellowship with Bishop Bila. Bishop Bila and I share the same philosophy of ministry in that we want to see peoples lives changed for the better through Jesus Christ. We both have a God-given burden for the poor, sick, fatherless and homeless. Bishop Bila took us for a drive one day and he did not tell us where we were going and after some time passed we arrived at very large warehouse. Bishop Bila explained that the purpose of this warehouse is to receive orphan children and when we went inside my heart sunk, because I had never seen anything like it before. There were so many, many children that needed help that we felt overwhelmed but then we remember with God all things are possible.
The first thing that crossed my mind was that this could be my children or grandchildren, so Leola and I said that we have to do something. Therefore, after a great deal of thought and deep prayer we decided to build an orphanage. We want to do all we can for the children.
The foundation for the Orphanage has been laid and some of the walls are up. ‘To God Be the Glory!’ However, at this time we are at a standstill until we can raise additional funds to complete the project.
Also, there was a necessity to send over much needed supplies. As God led we began to ask pastors to partner with us. Bishop Jerry Pugh, of 5th Street Church of God and Reverend Mack McRae, of Oak Grove Baptist Church rose up to the challenge and rallied members of their congregations to help us. One of the seventeen old youths, from 5th Street Church of God gathered one hundred pairs of shoes and Oak Grove Baptist Church donated one thousand tee shirts.
We shared our hearts with Bishop Sam Crisp, the Pastor of Kannapolis Church of God in Kannapolis, North Carolina about sending the things over in a pod to Africa and he did not hesitate to help us. Bishop Crisp invited me to speak at his church on Sunday and I made an appeal to the congregation and the way was made. We shipped 2,500 pounds of clothes, shoes, educational supplies, toys, and books to those needy children in Africa. I thank God for men of God that share the vision of helping others.
It is a wonderful feeling to help those that cannot give you anything in return. My wife and I have planned a Mission Conference for October 30-Novemer 1 to raise funds to complete the orphanage. ‘To God be the Glory Great Things He has done!’
Bishop Asbury R. and Leola Sellers, Project #065-0476
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