by Natalie Holsten
MAF pilot Joe Adams often flew over the small village of Tiping, located high in the mountains of Lesotho, and wondered about the people who lived there. A few dozen houses and sheep pens dotted the landscape, but with no airstrip or roads, Tiping was completely cut off from the rest of the world.
One day, Joe was called to do a medevac for a woman carried from Tiping to the village of Lebakeng. She had been badly beaten, and the man who brought her quickly disappeared. Joe suspected domestic abuse.
“The more we found out, the more we realized how badly Tiping needs to be reached,” Joe said.
Domestic abuse is just one of many evils plaguing the village. Young men kidnap and assault girls before choosing one for a wife. Ancestor worship is practiced and witch doctors are consulted. Alcoholism is rampant.
Sefiri Seepheephe is a Basotho pastor with Lesotho Mountain Discipleship (LMD), a key partner of MAF that does evangelism and discipleship in remote parts of the country. LMD has three couples living in three mountain villages mentoring new believers and leading Bible studies, and MAF regularly flies volunteer missionaries to assist their work in sharing the gospel and discipling believers.
Sefiri has served on many LMD trips, including to Tiping, where he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of sin. “Everybody there, they don’t really know what is right from what is wrong,” Sefiri said.
But the light of the gospel is beginning to pierce the spiritual darkness as Sefiri and other LMD missionaries share the good news.
To reach Tiping, LMD missionaries catch an MAF flight to Kuebunyane. From there, a helicopter from Mercy Air, a Christian humanitarian organization, carries them the rest of the way, saving hours of difficult travel by foot or horseback.
When Sefiri and LMD volunteer mentor Makopoi Shoaepane made the first trip into Tiping, they carried supplies to spend the night, but then decided to leave that same day. Later, they learned that men in the village planned to tie up Sefiri that night and assault Makopoi. “They had this crazy plan,” Makopoi said. “But by God’s grace, we decided not to stay over.”
Despite the dangers, the LMD team persevered. Sefiri has made several trips to Tiping, and often brings young men who are new believers and learning how to disciple others.
Together, they have been leading Bible studies at the chief’s house and listening to villagers’ questions, which are sometimes difficult to answer.
“They ask, ‘If I kill 25 people, can God forgive me?’ And I say, ‘yes.’ And they struggle to understand that,” Sefiri said. “They ask, ‘If God loves me, why do I only have enough for one meal a day?’”
Sefiri points them to the Old Testament prophets, who suffered for their faith, and early followers of Christ who were not wealthy, but shared what they had. “I remind them that even though we suffer, God is with us.”
So far, about a dozen people have accepted Christ and are being discipled.
It’s not been easy. Aside from the village’s isolation, a notorious murderer who did a brief stint in jail and is now living in Tiping. Many fear him, but Sefiri isn’t letting the man’s presence deter him.
Even with the difficulties, ministry continues. Literacy is low in Tiping, so a priority for Sefiri is getting audio Bibles into the hands of the people. On a trip this fall, he plans to take as many as he can.
Sefiri’s hope for Tiping is that the truth of the gospel will take root, and godly leaders will rise up to lead the ministry there. “That will be amazing,” he said. “That’s my dream for the village.”
Please pray with us as MAF continues to support the work of LMD in Tiping and other villages like it, that the gospel will bring transformation to communities and the hearts of those living there.
Possible pull-out quotes:
“I praise God for bringing us here because we come to this village, which is dark and they don’t know about Christ.” Sefiri
