Story from Libya

This was my reference point for a desert - Star Wars

As the world news turns towards Libya I find myself drawn to this land and thinking about childhood memories I have of it.  On the news today they were reporting how Canadian oil workers were being evacuated, my Dad worked in Libya on the Oil Rigs. I remember living in Ireland (thats where the oil company posted our family) and driving to the airport every 6 weeks to get my Dad for his 3 weeks off. He would tell me stories about the desert where he worked and I thought it was such a mysterious place. My only reference to a desert was the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi, and I was always asking him if he had seen any of those pits like the movie depicted. I don’t think he had seen the movie when he mentioned that there was pits in the sand.  I was awestruck picturing the huge gapping mouth complete with jagged teeth and tongue that threatened Luke Skywalker at the movies intro.  Later after seeing the movie he clued into what I was envisioning and was able to explain further, not with out milking it a bit I’m sure though.

The real story about Libya is; thats where my Dad became a Christian, behind a sand dune in a far away land Jesus reached out and touched him. He tells a interesting story of how God used Muslim Arabs to teach him (a brand new Christian) the message of the gospel.  The Libyan radio was filled with propaganda and so in search of hearing the news from different sources the Arabs would pick up different Christian Radio stations that also reported the news to get news unaffected by the propaganda.  Dad would sit with the Arabs as they would translate what was being said to him.  Apart from reporting the news the radio was also broadcasting the message of the gospel and they would translate this as well for him. Imagine, middle of Sahara Desert and Muslim men translating the word of God for a new Christian in search of discipleship.  Simply amazing, there’s nothing impossible for God.

Fast-forward to today and My Dad (Rob Parker Sr.) is now the director of the National House of Prayer in Ottawa, pretty amazing where God can get ahold of us, and even more amazing the journey he takes us on.  I know the seed of the gospel has reached Libya before, my prayer is that through this governmental upheaval the seed that is in the sands of this country will be watered and spring new life.

Robb Jr.

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