The Miracle Of Johane

The Miracle Of Johane

He was right under her nose.

MALLA MOE, a Norwegian immigrant to America, went to Swaziland, Africa, as a missionary with the Scandinavian Alliance Mission in 1892. She had no formal theological training but an incredible burden for lost souls. Her entire life was devoted to winning Africans to Christ. She served the Lord in Swaziland until her death in 1953, two months shy of her ninetieth birthday.

After a few years in Swaziland, Malla began to feel overwhelmed by the preaching and teaching demands of her ministry. While praying that God would send her a helper, she heard a voice say, “I will send someone to work with you,” but so far God had sent no one. Little did she know that he was there all the time—in the kitchen!

Mapelepele Gamede, a teenager, was working in the kitchen of the mission. He liked working for the kind Norwegian-American missionary, and to please her he had been baptized and had changed his name to Johane. A few days after his baptism, Malla and a visiting missionary couple planned to travel back to Malla’s former mission station with Johane serving as their guide. Before the group left, Johane had an argument with one of the missionaries about how much money he was owed. He became so angry that he refused to lead the group and instead set off on foot for his home, leaving the missionaries to make the difficult journey on their own.

A few days into the journey a humbled Johane caught up with the group. He had been attacked by two men who wanted money, and his leg had been injured. He said, “I know I did wrong in being angry. I kneeled down and asked God to forgive me, and He led me to you.” Malla forgave him and patched up his leg. He led them the rest of the way, and on May 23, 1895, the group arrived safely at their destination, the Bulunga mission station.

In Bulunga Malla continued to pray that God would send her a helper. While praying, she heard the same voice as before saying, “There’s your boy!” Immediately she knew that her helper would be Johane.

Johane, however, was not so easily convinced—he was a very timid young man who could not read and was petrified at the thought of preaching. He couldn’t study the Bible because of his seeming lack of ability to learn to read. He was convinced he would never learn. “I have prayed, but it doesn’t help. God does not want me to learn.” He was so discouraged that Malla was afraid he would give up and leave her, but she continued to pray for him.

One night Johane had a vision in which a man in a white gown asked him how many days he had left. When Johane answered that he did not know, the man answered, “I know how many days you have, and you shall receive your reward from me.” Johane was very frightened.

The next day Johane was nowhere to be found. Malla was worried that he had given up and had left the mission station. Much to Malla’s relief, that night Johane walked into the mission with a triumphant smile on his face and his Bible in his hand. “God has taught me to read. I went up to the mountain and prayed to Him. He said He would teach me, and when I opened the book, I could read.”

Much to Malla’s amazement, he could read! It was truly a miracle. And just as miraculous was Johane’s change of heart. He was a completely different person. Not only could he now read the Bible, but his faith was truly his own! Immediately he began preaching to his people with great boldness. In an instant he had become the helper she had been fervently praying for!

Reflection

Have you ever tried to act religious, only to find that it didn’t work? Baptism and religious activity won’t change our lives, as Johane discovered. Only Christ can do that, and it is he who is pursuing us.

And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those . . . who are lost.

Luke 19:10