The Lulu Tree

My recent trip was divided into two parts: The first ever Baptist Conference of southern Sudan held in Rumbek; and the church-planting campaign in Torit, Sudan. At the conference, a tall, young Dinka pastor with a quiet demeanor named Benjamin stood to tell a testimony of his church. He pastors a small gathering of believers in the bush near Akot where they met under a large Lulu tree. Imagine a very mature pecan tree—sans pecans of course—and you can draw a mental image in your mind. The lulu tree provided the shade that makes meeting together bearable in the oppressive heat of Sudan.

Left to right: Benjamin, Abraham (another pastor), and John Jefferson (my travelmate, from Plano, for the entire trip) under a tree similar to the one described in this story.

One day, the local authority in the area informed Benjamin that he would have to move his church to a new location. The man wanted to establish a fish market beneath the great tree and the church stood in his way. Benjamin protested, but was overruled. The authority’s quote was, “I give the land and I can take it away.” Benjamin complied and the fish market materialized beneath the tree.

Then a funny thing happened. On the first day of the fish market, the merchants noticed the leaves falling from the tree. Within a week, the tree was dead, empty of the leaves that provided the great shade.

Who is the One who gives and takes away?

Prov. 23:11, “…for their defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.”