| 'We plough the fields and scatter' |
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A harvest hymn that could be Angus Buchan’s theme tune.  Farmer Angus Buchan loves a good harvest. In his life Angus has seen God produce both a bountiful harvest of crops and a spiritual harvest of new Christians. Zambian Angus Buchan has been at the forefront of a campaign to help UK farmers recover from the twin disasters of foot and mouth and BSE. Christians from across the country set up groups to offer physical, emotional and spiritual help (www.healingtheland.org.uk). Angus has made regular trips to the UK to encourage the farming community. His most recent visit in April drew thousands to hear his message of hope.  Two months later, at the Mighty Men Conference 2009 in his home country, 200,000 men gathered to hear Angus preach. Angus miraculously survived a life threatening heart attack to take the stage.Angus is no stranger to the UK. His parents came originally from Scotland and the young Angus trained at agricultural college in Scotland. His Christian faith is plain and simple – just like a potato! And it was through a bumper crop of potatoes that God taught Angus a valuable lesson. The crop helped support more than his family and the farm – for Angus is in the business of ‘seed sowing’ for God – telling people about God’s love for them through faith in Jesus Christ. This was a far cry from the angry, troubled man he was but God intervened in his life and changed his priorities. ‘I was rich, independent and proud but I still felt restless,’ he recalls in his memoirs Faith Like Potatoes which has been made into a film, available on DVD. Angus met and married Jill and the family moved to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in search of a better life. But the Buchans struggled to settle in their new country. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spiralled down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. ‘Deep down I knew I needed God in my life, but just then I didn’t have time to stop and think,’ Angus remembers. Jill named the farm ‘Shalom’ which means peace. ‘Of course, peace was just what I didn’t have,’ says Angus. Mission meeting Then God stepped in. The family were invited to a mission meeting at the local church. They went out of politeness. What they heard changed their lives. Both Angus and Jill went forward to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. ‘We prayed a prayer together,’ remembers Angus, ‘saying sorry for our sins and asking Jesus to rule our hearts, and a miracle happened. Jesus came into our lives.’ Later that day as Angus was walking in his fields he says ‘an amazing peace came over me, and all my emotional torment, the fear and anxiety and stress fell away. ‘My aim was first and foremost to live my life for Christ, and to do his will… I learned that God cares about the details of our lives, and is powerful to help us. ‘God never promised us a life free of trouble, only that he would walk with us through it,’ Angus says. New found faith Angus was challenged to tell others about his new found faith and he does so to this day.  The movie Faith Like Potatoes graphically tells their story – when God sent the rain to miraculously put out a raging fire, the tragic accident that killed a young child and not forgetting the bumper crop of potatoes! Prayer Angus and Jill said and meant a simple prayer when they committed their lives to following Jesus Christ. Angus says ‘If you have never made a personal commitment to Christ, I encourage you to pray this prayer out loud. Afterwards, tell three people what you have done: it is important to make a public confession of your faith, so it is firmly set in your heart. Dear Lord Jesus, I repent of all my sins. I ask you to forgive me for not serving you with all my heart. From this day forward I will start all over again and so I ask you to come into my life and to be the Lord of my life. I will serve no other God but you. Thank you Lord, that you are a covenant-keeping God and even as I endeavour by the power of your Holy Spirit, to keep my side of the covenant I know that you will keep your side. I ask all these things in the powerful and precious name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour. Amen. |
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