A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

by Ed Lyons

“No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.” – 2 Timothy 2:4

As we landed on the Jaac airstrip in March, I noticed two soldiers standing under a tree at the edge of the runway. They were there to protect our plane.

Wilson Wal Malith proudly holds his new Bible, the message of which he proceeded to share with his friend.

Our pilot, Linnie Weeks, offered to spend a couple of days with us on the ground, participating in our outreaches in Jaac. This meant securing the plane from possible vandals and the curious children who may have been tempted to use our Cessna Caravan as playground equipment.

Wilson Wal Malith was one of the two soldiers charged with guarding the aircraft. He immediately approached a PPF team member and requested a Bible, which we were more than happy to supply. As we handed him the Bible, he began to tell us his story.

Wilson had been stationed in Jaac since 2005 and had once owned a Bible. He explained that while he was employed by the military, he was a soldier for God first. He felt that he was a pastor to the other men in his regiment. In fact, he had given his previous Bible to another soldier who had been transferred far away. He hadn’t been able to obtain a replacement Bible for a very long time.

Holding his new copy of God’s Word close to his heart, Wilson smiled. He pointed his thumb at the soldier standing quietly beside him and said, “Now I can share Jesus Christ with this man.”

For 3 days, Wilson shared his faith and the Word of God with his fellow soldier under this tree.

Wilson and this other soldier sat on a cot under a tree, which shaded them from the blazing sun, on the edge of the Jaac airstrip for the next 3 days. Bible open. Words of love and hope pouring forth from a soldier who was “pleasing his commanding officer.”

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