Bats In The Belfry

We will travel to the west coast of Ecuador, along the great Guayas river. It is here where the large banana farms are located. It is warm and wet. There are small towns scattered along the river. We will take a small boat crowded with people, freight and animals.

Our destination is a small village where, we will accompany Abe Dyck in an evangelistic week of meetings. The church there was a small church with very uncomfortable benches. They had one small light bulb that hung over the pulpit. That was the only one in the place. The electric company charged not by the amount of electricity used, but by the bulb. Electric meters were hard to come by.

This was a small and poor village where there were a good number of believers. Gladis and I would supply the music and Abe would do the preaching.

Seven o'clock came and there was a good crowd that night. The Lord had blessed the meetings. Abe was in the middle of his message and preaching with all his might. Then, the devil, afraid to lose a few souls came in. He came in AS A BAT!

This bat came in to the light to try to get the bugs and flies that were around the bulb. He came diving in right at Abe, and Abe would duck. It was really something. Everyone was watching Abe and the bat, and Abe was having difficulty trying to keep on the subject. I was praying that the bat would leave, but it kept on diving at the light.

We had to close the meeting for the night.

Sometimes when you most desire to talk to someone about the Lord something comes up to hinder. The devil has his bats. But God is able to work in spite of the hindrances. When this happens, praise God and keep on going.

Bill Gibson
Children's Minute
Nov 26, 2000