THE MEANING OF SACRIFICE - Zambia

   A pastor went to speak at a church in one of the rural areas of Zambia. One church member there was interested in joining a church planting team in an unreached area along Lake Tanganyika. Learning that the church's normal offering amounted to just twelve rand (USD 2), the pastor thought there was no way he could ask them to support this person. However, he felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to share with the elders that this young man wanted to join the team and to ask if the church would send him. The cost would be around 5,000 rand (USD 700).
   After praying the elders came back to say they would take up the challenge to find the 5,000 rand for his transport and initial support within one month. Somehow by the time a month had passed they came up with the full sum. The pastor later discovered that everyone in the church with more than two pairs of trousers or shirts had brought their extras to the church to be sold. However, after selling their clothes they still had quite a shortfall. They then agreed to fast one meal a day for the next few weeks and brought the money they would have spent on their staple maize meal to the church. God honoured their faith and commitment as well as their sacrificial giving and they miraculously reached their target.