Well, first I want to apologize to everyone that it has been so long since I last updated, and say this update will be a bit longer than usual... I arrived in BW on May 22 knowing that our first team was going to arrive on May 27. My first few days here were mainly spent in bed sick due to the incredible temperature change (MS summer to 35 degrees my first night), but I was able to reconnect with the body here and my fellow workers and get settled into my house. Once all of this was done, we scrambled to get everything ready for the team of high school seniors/recent graduates. They have been a joy to have, but they have kept me very busy this last week and a half. I am happy to report now that they have been a blessing, and it has been incredible just to see the Father grow them while they are here. He has given them some incredible things to be a part of. I would like to share 2 of those stories now.
The first begins last Tuesday. We took them out to one of the villages near by to go Prayer Walking. We spent much of the morning before going out in prayer asking the Father to go before us, and He pressed it on several of us to ask specifically for 3 people to hear and understand His truth. As we went out, one of the groups was passing by an old ladies house, when she stopped them and invited them into her house. They began to share with her the story of Nicodemus from John 3. She told them that she had heard about Jesus and believed He was the Son of God, but she had been waiting on someone to come and share with her about how to be born again. She prayed with them on the spot! They were able to reconnect with her the following day, and they consensus was that she was filled with even more joy than the day before! One of the guy groups walking stopped in a yard with two ladies and began to share the same story. After sharing, one of the ladies opened up about her life. Her story was almost identical to the young man sharing. So he began to share his testimony, and she believed and asked to be born again. The lady with also asked to be born again. This was the first time he had ever shared and seen someone respond! So that totals for - Three women! Our Father is so good!
So it has been an eventful 2 weeks since I arrived! I have two big prayer requests in closing.
The first came from a reminder reading in Matthew 4 this morning where the devil takes a truth from Psalm 91 and twists it to fit his desire, but Jesus knows the truth and is not swayed. As we prayer walked in the village, our national partners shared with me about how false doctrines and twisted truth now hold many people in the surrounding villages in darkness. So we have began to pray for Truth to be seen for what it is - Truth, and for twisted half-truths and false doctrines to be shown for the darkness they are. I invite you to labor with us in asking the Father to move in that way.
The second prayer requests comes from my reading in 1 Kings 6 this morning. In verses 11-12 God speaks to Solomon and tells him that if he walks according to His statutes and ways, then He will dwell among the people of Israel and not forsake them. This lead me to think about the work going on here. One problem at the moment is the purity of the church. The Father is pressing it upon our hearts to fight in prayer for this to change. For His people to walk in His ways that His presence may be known among these people groups. Pleases join us in beseeching Him for this - for faithful workers to know His ways and to walk in them that His glory may be see in their village, their region, and their nation.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer. Daily I am reminded at how inadequate I am but how glorious our Father is. I wouldn't be here without your support, and the way He is going before us and moving is only in response to prayers lifted up for the work. So thank you!
The first begins last Tuesday. We took them out to one of the villages near by to go Prayer Walking. We spent much of the morning before going out in prayer asking the Father to go before us, and He pressed it on several of us to ask specifically for 3 people to hear and understand His truth. As we went out, one of the groups was passing by an old ladies house, when she stopped them and invited them into her house. They began to share with her the story of Nicodemus from John 3. She told them that she had heard about Jesus and believed He was the Son of God, but she had been waiting on someone to come and share with her about how to be born again. She prayed with them on the spot! They were able to reconnect with her the following day, and they consensus was that she was filled with even more joy than the day before! One of the guy groups walking stopped in a yard with two ladies and began to share the same story. After sharing, one of the ladies opened up about her life. Her story was almost identical to the young man sharing. So he began to share his testimony, and she believed and asked to be born again. The lady with also asked to be born again. This was the first time he had ever shared and seen someone respond! So that totals for - Three women! Our Father is so good!
The second story is the fruit of 5 months of labor and prayer. Part of my on-field team has been helping the local church develop an after school AIDS Orphan Care center. In our town, AIDS has been a big problem, and there are a lot of children who live with extended family who do not have the means nor the time to fully care for them. Therefore, their school work suffers... they don't receive proper nutrients.. and rarely see/feel love. The care center will attempt to touch all of these facets. The children will receive tutoring, will see and learn about the love of Christ, and a healthy snack/meal. For the past 5 months they have been working to get it approved by the government, and last week they finally received that approval. 10 children were selected based on need and age. They want each child to be in the program for at least 2 years. Then on Thursday they had their grand opening with a ribbon cutting and all! It was a wonderful day, and the youth team was a big help in getting everything together and playing with the kids.
So it has been an eventful 2 weeks since I arrived! I have two big prayer requests in closing.
The first came from a reminder reading in Matthew 4 this morning where the devil takes a truth from Psalm 91 and twists it to fit his desire, but Jesus knows the truth and is not swayed. As we prayer walked in the village, our national partners shared with me about how false doctrines and twisted truth now hold many people in the surrounding villages in darkness. So we have began to pray for Truth to be seen for what it is - Truth, and for twisted half-truths and false doctrines to be shown for the darkness they are. I invite you to labor with us in asking the Father to move in that way.
The second prayer requests comes from my reading in 1 Kings 6 this morning. In verses 11-12 God speaks to Solomon and tells him that if he walks according to His statutes and ways, then He will dwell among the people of Israel and not forsake them. This lead me to think about the work going on here. One problem at the moment is the purity of the church. The Father is pressing it upon our hearts to fight in prayer for this to change. For His people to walk in His ways that His presence may be known among these people groups. Pleases join us in beseeching Him for this - for faithful workers to know His ways and to walk in them that His glory may be see in their village, their region, and their nation.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer. Daily I am reminded at how inadequate I am but how glorious our Father is. I wouldn't be here without your support, and the way He is going before us and moving is only in response to prayers lifted up for the work. So thank you!
