What a finale to these last 7 weeks of waiting on the Lord to see if He would bring in the funds to purchase the training center in Nampula! On Sunday, 8 pledges came in and we went to bed Sunday night our time with a balance of $611,160. (The balance the Sunday before was $558,155). We woke up this morning and found 13 emails waiting in our email inbox. (Remember we are 8 hours ahead of US central time so people had been writing while we had been sleeping!)
I started opening the emails and started typing in the pledges to the list. My excel program kept up with the math! What a blessing each and every pledge was!
Several people wrote to pledge additional funds, above and beyond what they had already offered! Then there were pledges from family members....2 different sets of parents talked with their adult children and we received pledges from their children. One family spoke to their parents, and their parents gave a pledge! What a beautiful thing to see generations serving the Lord with their finances!
One veteran YWAM missionary wrote to say that we were on his heart. He had been in a situation like this several times and having been there, he was praying for us. He also gave a pledge as a symbol of his standing with us!
Two of our YWAM bases here in Mozambique sent sms s on the phone to pledge amounts -- they were feeling like their pledge of $100 was nothing compared to the enormity of the project. Oh, but how they blessed us with their hearts to stand with us as Mozambican colleagues, friends, members of the same YWAM family!
One family pledged a significant amount and said to let them know if we needed more. By the end of the morning, we stood at an amazing $685,000. We let this family know where we stood and they promptly gave enough to bring us up to $700,000! Wow! What a joy to be able to offer SIL $700,000 for the purchase of the training center.
May the Lord be praised for all He has done! We talked with our YWAM Mozambique leader this afternoon and he was encouraged! He commented that missions has a history of God's amazing provision and there are lots of books that record these accounts of God's greatness. But sometimes, we think that that was in the past and wonder if such a provision could occur in our day and age. This is an example of the truth that our God is the same yesterday, today and forever! What a privilege to be part of God's story!
So now we wait on SIL's answer to what God has provided. We pray for a unity in the Spirit and a peace in the decision.
Thanks for all your prayers!
Selemani Family
Victor, Lori, Victoria, Clara, Joshua, and David Beni
Monday, December 15, 2014
Monday, December 8, 2014
7 days to go!
We are in the final count down! We are trusting God to be God in this challenge -- we believe and know and trust that He is all powerful, that He is good, and that He is sovereign in our lives and in this Nampula challenge.
Today, pledges for $10,500 came in, bringing our total to $570,155 pledges received with $329,845 remaining. One person shared how they had prayed about giving, had then read and felt the Lord speaking to them through Hebrews 13:16, and proceeded to send in their pledge. We are humbled and blessed to be witnesses of the obedience, love, and sacrifice of God's people!
Thanks for your prayers. The children are all better and our energy has picked up somewhat. Today we meet again as a team for prayer. There is nothing like meeting together as God's people to pray together! Thank you for joining us in prayer -- even though miles separate us.
Today, pledges for $10,500 came in, bringing our total to $570,155 pledges received with $329,845 remaining. One person shared how they had prayed about giving, had then read and felt the Lord speaking to them through Hebrews 13:16, and proceeded to send in their pledge. We are humbled and blessed to be witnesses of the obedience, love, and sacrifice of God's people!
Thanks for your prayers. The children are all better and our energy has picked up somewhat. Today we meet again as a team for prayer. There is nothing like meeting together as God's people to pray together! Thank you for joining us in prayer -- even though miles separate us.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
One more quick update:
In the past 3 days we have received pledges for another $25,980 bringing our total to $545,215! We have come a long ways! All praise to our Mighty God! That leaves the remaining pledges needed at $354,785.
We appreciate your continued prayers! We are tired and dragging. Last week's seminar was very good with about 35 participants (and 25 children playing outside). But it was a busy week as well. And 3 of our 4 kids have picked up a bug going around the seminar of a 24 hour fever. And we are all a bit down and under the weather.
And we are very aware that there are 12 days left to the deadline of December 15 of having all the total pledges received and ready to present to SIL, the sellers of the training center for their final proposal. So thank you for standing with us in prayer as we wait on the Lord through these last days!
In the past 3 days we have received pledges for another $25,980 bringing our total to $545,215! We have come a long ways! All praise to our Mighty God! That leaves the remaining pledges needed at $354,785.
We appreciate your continued prayers! We are tired and dragging. Last week's seminar was very good with about 35 participants (and 25 children playing outside). But it was a busy week as well. And 3 of our 4 kids have picked up a bug going around the seminar of a 24 hour fever. And we are all a bit down and under the weather.
And we are very aware that there are 12 days left to the deadline of December 15 of having all the total pledges received and ready to present to SIL, the sellers of the training center for their final proposal. So thank you for standing with us in prayer as we wait on the Lord through these last days!
Saturday, November 22, 2014
End of another week report
We are thankful to be able to say that we have received at least one pledge per day this past week. Our total now stands at $518,135 pledged with a remaining $381,865 to go.
The temptation to doubt and worry exists when we look at the $381,865 left. What a big number! But our God is bigger!
But the Lord encouraged me through Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
One of YWAM's values is to work as a team. We experienced the blessing of a team this past Thursday as we met again to pray for Nampula. Victor and I had been discouraged about the amount remaining. But as we came together in prayer again as a team, the Lord reminded us of all He has done so far! We exchanged worry for thanksgiving, doubts about the future for remembering God's faithfulness up to now. We left the meeting with lighter hearts.
And remember the story about our girls wanting to give their coins for the center? Well, when their friends, ages 8 and 10, heard about it, they were not to be outdone. They had gone on the trip with their parents and Victor to Nampula and saw firsthand the training center. When they got back home, they picked up the hoes and went out to hoe the family garden, working with all their hearts, to earn some money to give their very own contribution for the center as well. The first week of December, our team will be taking up an offering again and the children will proudly bring their gifts before the Lord as well! This has been our heart -- to see whole families with a heart for serving the Lord!
I've tried pasting some pictures but the website is not allowing me to upload the pictures for some reason. I'll keep trying but for today, I'll sign off.
Thanks for your continued prayers and for watching and waiting with us.....until December 15!
The temptation to doubt and worry exists when we look at the $381,865 left. What a big number! But our God is bigger!
But the Lord encouraged me through Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
One of YWAM's values is to work as a team. We experienced the blessing of a team this past Thursday as we met again to pray for Nampula. Victor and I had been discouraged about the amount remaining. But as we came together in prayer again as a team, the Lord reminded us of all He has done so far! We exchanged worry for thanksgiving, doubts about the future for remembering God's faithfulness up to now. We left the meeting with lighter hearts.
And remember the story about our girls wanting to give their coins for the center? Well, when their friends, ages 8 and 10, heard about it, they were not to be outdone. They had gone on the trip with their parents and Victor to Nampula and saw firsthand the training center. When they got back home, they picked up the hoes and went out to hoe the family garden, working with all their hearts, to earn some money to give their very own contribution for the center as well. The first week of December, our team will be taking up an offering again and the children will proudly bring their gifts before the Lord as well! This has been our heart -- to see whole families with a heart for serving the Lord!
I've tried pasting some pictures but the website is not allowing me to upload the pictures for some reason. I'll keep trying but for today, I'll sign off.
Thanks for your continued prayers and for watching and waiting with us.....until December 15!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Quick update...
The total this evening stands at:
$515,485 pledged with a remaining $384,515 remaining! We are getting there, bit by bit!
Keep praying with us for the full amount to come in!
Pray also for Victor and the team who will have a LONG day of traveling tomorrow as they travel back from Nampula.
$515,485 pledged with a remaining $384,515 remaining! We are getting there, bit by bit!
Keep praying with us for the full amount to come in!
Pray also for Victor and the team who will have a LONG day of traveling tomorrow as they travel back from Nampula.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
More stories...
More stories of how God is working!
The most recent donors: Victoria and Clara Selemani -- Amount: about 35 cents a piece! It happened like this.
The most recent donors: Victoria and Clara Selemani -- Amount: about 35 cents a piece! It happened like this.
I just finished reading the Bible with the girls and we prayed again about Nampula together. After Clara finished, she got all excited and said, "Mom, I want to give my spending money for the center!" My reflex thought was, "Don't bother. The coins won't make much of a difference."
But as I processed the thought, Victoria, the older wiser sister blurted out the thought, "No, Clara. It won't make a difference."
By then, my processing had got me to the point of, "Well, what if everyone who is giving thought that way? My gift is too small and so I won't give." So Victoria, not to be left behind, quickly said she wanted to give as well.
But the idea was still rolling around our heads 10 minutes later as the girls climbed into bed -- into my bed. See, Victor is gone to Nampula and the deal at our house is when Dad is gone, the kids get to take turns sleeping with Mom! So tonight was their night!
So Victoria asked again, "Will the bank take our coins or do we have to have --what do you call it, Mom?" "Bills." "Yes, bills. Don't we have to have bills to give?" I explained that enough coins will eventually equal a bill.
Then I brought up the story of the boy who offered his lunch to Jesus. Did he say it was too small? What matters is the heart of giving and WHO we give it to. God is able to multiply what we give Him and it will be enough.
And then Clara wiggled and said with shining eyes, "I'm so excited! Not about sleeping in bed with Mom but about giving to the center!" Thank you, Lord, for using this to teach her the joy of giving to You!
Another donor:
A missionary friend working in Azerbaijan sent in a pledge and then added: "I just wanted to say that I have really been encouraged by your step of faith. My small team of one local family and me are trying to buy only one house and have a payment coming up in just 3 months of only $40,000. After I saw how much God provided for you in pledges I was so encouraged about how much God can provide. Thanks for helping build my faith! God will provide all you need and all that we need!"
Amen! Thank you, Father, for encouraging this sister and we do ask You to provide all that that team needs for Your work to continue in that country!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Update
Well, with a few more pledges sent in in the past couple days, our totals stand at $512,170 pledged with a remaining $387,830 to go! We are making progress!
One significant gift was a 500 meticais (equivalent to $15 USD) gift given by the Chinonyelo cha Issa (translated Love of Jesus) Yao house church here in Lichinga. This gift is probably 2 or 3 month's worth of church offerings as most of the members (6-10 people) do not have monthly salary. One family from their group has committed to go with us to Nampula to start this new work. So it is significant that this home church is standing with us and that they did not feel like their gift was too small to give! Indeed, God asks us to give what we have and He will multiply it. This act of giving blessed us so much, coming from our Yao brothers and sisters!
Tomorrow Victor leaves with a car full of teammates for Nampula. Pray for a safe trip and good time together as teammates. He plans to return on Tuesday.
One significant gift was a 500 meticais (equivalent to $15 USD) gift given by the Chinonyelo cha Issa (translated Love of Jesus) Yao house church here in Lichinga. This gift is probably 2 or 3 month's worth of church offerings as most of the members (6-10 people) do not have monthly salary. One family from their group has committed to go with us to Nampula to start this new work. So it is significant that this home church is standing with us and that they did not feel like their gift was too small to give! Indeed, God asks us to give what we have and He will multiply it. This act of giving blessed us so much, coming from our Yao brothers and sisters!
Tomorrow Victor leaves with a car full of teammates for Nampula. Pray for a safe trip and good time together as teammates. He plans to return on Tuesday.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Back from our Team Retreat
We just came back from our end of year YWAM Niassa team retreat. We had a good couple of days together.
While we were gone, 8 more pledges came in for the training center in Nampula and we are now over half way there with a total of $496,970 pledged and a total of $403,030 remaining! The Lord be praised! Bwana Asifiwe!
During our retreat, a coworker Sergio from Chile challenged us all in a devotional, focused on Luke 19:11-27, which is the parable of the Talents. The master went away and before He left, He gave 10 talents to 10 of his servants. When he returned and called the servants to account for what He had given them, the first servant had earned 10 more, the second servant had earned 5 more, and another servant just returned what he had been given. He had not invested what the Master had given him.
Sergio asked the question: "Faithfulness to God involves what? Is it just going to church? Not doing bad things?"
He continued by saying that faithful service to the Master involves multiplication -- using what we have been given to invest in His Kingdom. What has He given us? For what purpose? "At the very least, He has given us all a mouth to be used in talking to others about Jesus," he challenged us!
The Master will not ask an accounting for us for things He did not bless or entrust us with. But we are responsible for what He has given us!
His final thought was, "What does a successful business involve? Two things: Work -- hard work and Risk. It is the same in the Kingdom - to be about the King's business, we will need to work hard and we will need to take risks for Him! Sometimes, the work doesn't get done because we are relaxed (or can we be honest and say lazy?) or because we are afraid of the risk.
So our team as a whole felt the Lord speaking to our hearts again about being involved in His Kingdom, being faithful to invest what He has given us as far as talents, time, finances, gifts, etc. May laziness and fear not hinder His work! It was a timely word for us. We hope it will bless you also. And we are blessed by seeing many of God's people investing in His work here in Mozambique through the donations pledged towards this training center that will bless YWAM (the Buyer) with a center for training and discipling God's people and will bless SIL/Wycliffe (the Seller) with funds to continue Bible translation here in southern Africa! Isn't that cool how the Lord is using this project as a double blessing for His Kingdom! To Him be all the glory. Until next time......
While we were gone, 8 more pledges came in for the training center in Nampula and we are now over half way there with a total of $496,970 pledged and a total of $403,030 remaining! The Lord be praised! Bwana Asifiwe!
During our retreat, a coworker Sergio from Chile challenged us all in a devotional, focused on Luke 19:11-27, which is the parable of the Talents. The master went away and before He left, He gave 10 talents to 10 of his servants. When he returned and called the servants to account for what He had given them, the first servant had earned 10 more, the second servant had earned 5 more, and another servant just returned what he had been given. He had not invested what the Master had given him.
Sergio asked the question: "Faithfulness to God involves what? Is it just going to church? Not doing bad things?"
He continued by saying that faithful service to the Master involves multiplication -- using what we have been given to invest in His Kingdom. What has He given us? For what purpose? "At the very least, He has given us all a mouth to be used in talking to others about Jesus," he challenged us!
The Master will not ask an accounting for us for things He did not bless or entrust us with. But we are responsible for what He has given us!
His final thought was, "What does a successful business involve? Two things: Work -- hard work and Risk. It is the same in the Kingdom - to be about the King's business, we will need to work hard and we will need to take risks for Him! Sometimes, the work doesn't get done because we are relaxed (or can we be honest and say lazy?) or because we are afraid of the risk.
So our team as a whole felt the Lord speaking to our hearts again about being involved in His Kingdom, being faithful to invest what He has given us as far as talents, time, finances, gifts, etc. May laziness and fear not hinder His work! It was a timely word for us. We hope it will bless you also. And we are blessed by seeing many of God's people investing in His work here in Mozambique through the donations pledged towards this training center that will bless YWAM (the Buyer) with a center for training and discipling God's people and will bless SIL/Wycliffe (the Seller) with funds to continue Bible translation here in southern Africa! Isn't that cool how the Lord is using this project as a double blessing for His Kingdom! To Him be all the glory. Until next time......
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
For some time we have sensed that the cloud of God's leading is lifting from Lichinga and slowing moving forward, eastward towards the province of Nampula, Mozambique. As hard as it is to think of leaving Lichinga, we have taken steps of faith forward, crying out to God to make the way clear, the path straight!
This has involved the possibility of purchasing a training center to facilitate a ministry of training and discipling God's people here in northern Mozambique. The training center belongs to SIL (a Christian organization that translate the Bible, connected with Wycliffe). They are offering the center to us, YWAM, below the market value of 1.3 million USD and are asking $900,000 USD.
We sent out our Vision Statement on Sunday, October 26. (If you did not receive it and would like to learn more, please contact us at victorlorifamily@gmail.com) For two days, it was quiet, with a couple of emails of friends assuring us of their prayers. We felt the weight of the burden of 900K. I battled doubt. Are we so foolish to ask/expect 900K to come in?
Tuesday, October 28, Victor woke up feeling like we mustn't be under this burden -- God calls us to walk up on the water not under it. Jesus is calling us ...we are to walk and not look at the waves and wind. That after noon, we had a Nampula team prayer meeting, crying out to God to do what we can not do!
Wednesday morning, October 29, we awoke to find an email (sent yet on Tuesday American time but got here Wed. our time since we are 8 hours ahead) to find the first pledge for .........$300,000! I was floored! Stunned! Just like that, we are a third of the way there! The plans for Nampula had been plans of faith, of hope -- was God really making them a reality? Victor danced and laughed and cried at the news!
And since then, the Lord continues to amaze us. We will try to record some of the stories here and keep a current account of how many pledges of come in so that you can watch and pray with us.
TO DATE: We have received $389,665 in pledges. We need a remaining $510,335 by December 15, 2014.
Sunday, November 2, two pledges came in for a total of $5000 that day! Wow! Thank you Lord! Bless those who have given generously, sacrificially! Then my mind jumped ahead to do the math. If $5000 comes in per day and we 43 days to go....that will only bring us another $215,000. Lord!? And then I was reminded that we add, but in the Kingdom math is done by multiplication. Did not God multiply the fish and loaves? God was able to take the little we had and multiply it!
Would you believe the pledge that came in Monday, November 3? What is 5 x 5? That's right! A pledge came in for $25,000. Only God!
Tuesday, we received a pledge from a friend very involved in the Lord's service. She had wanted to buy a different car, replace her car that she is currently driving. But she felt from the Lord that she was to wait to buy a new car and rather give that money towards His Kingdom. Then she received our email about the training center in Nampula and she felt that this was where the Lord was leading her to give some of that money! We were blessed by her obedience!
These pledges received include a contribution from our YWAM Nampula team, a contribution from folks at the SIL center, and from a missionary family working in Nampula. The pledges have ranged from $15 USD to $300,000. No amount is to small when offered up in faith! We are encouraged by each one standing with us in prayer and in finances! God is doing what only He could do! Praise His name!
This has involved the possibility of purchasing a training center to facilitate a ministry of training and discipling God's people here in northern Mozambique. The training center belongs to SIL (a Christian organization that translate the Bible, connected with Wycliffe). They are offering the center to us, YWAM, below the market value of 1.3 million USD and are asking $900,000 USD.
We sent out our Vision Statement on Sunday, October 26. (If you did not receive it and would like to learn more, please contact us at victorlorifamily@gmail.com) For two days, it was quiet, with a couple of emails of friends assuring us of their prayers. We felt the weight of the burden of 900K. I battled doubt. Are we so foolish to ask/expect 900K to come in?
Tuesday, October 28, Victor woke up feeling like we mustn't be under this burden -- God calls us to walk up on the water not under it. Jesus is calling us ...we are to walk and not look at the waves and wind. That after noon, we had a Nampula team prayer meeting, crying out to God to do what we can not do!
Wednesday morning, October 29, we awoke to find an email (sent yet on Tuesday American time but got here Wed. our time since we are 8 hours ahead) to find the first pledge for .........$300,000! I was floored! Stunned! Just like that, we are a third of the way there! The plans for Nampula had been plans of faith, of hope -- was God really making them a reality? Victor danced and laughed and cried at the news!
And since then, the Lord continues to amaze us. We will try to record some of the stories here and keep a current account of how many pledges of come in so that you can watch and pray with us.
TO DATE: We have received $389,665 in pledges. We need a remaining $510,335 by December 15, 2014.
Sunday, November 2, two pledges came in for a total of $5000 that day! Wow! Thank you Lord! Bless those who have given generously, sacrificially! Then my mind jumped ahead to do the math. If $5000 comes in per day and we 43 days to go....that will only bring us another $215,000. Lord!? And then I was reminded that we add, but in the Kingdom math is done by multiplication. Did not God multiply the fish and loaves? God was able to take the little we had and multiply it!
Would you believe the pledge that came in Monday, November 3? What is 5 x 5? That's right! A pledge came in for $25,000. Only God!
Tuesday, we received a pledge from a friend very involved in the Lord's service. She had wanted to buy a different car, replace her car that she is currently driving. But she felt from the Lord that she was to wait to buy a new car and rather give that money towards His Kingdom. Then she received our email about the training center in Nampula and she felt that this was where the Lord was leading her to give some of that money! We were blessed by her obedience!
These pledges received include a contribution from our YWAM Nampula team, a contribution from folks at the SIL center, and from a missionary family working in Nampula. The pledges have ranged from $15 USD to $300,000. No amount is to small when offered up in faith! We are encouraged by each one standing with us in prayer and in finances! God is doing what only He could do! Praise His name!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Welcome back! Time to dust off this blog and start recording some of the ways God has empowered our outreach teams and worked through them. One team just came from Nampula province where they worked with churches in very rural areas.
In one village, they met an old man whose name was the same name as the village. He had wanted no part of hearing God's Word or going to church. However team members visited him in his home and encouraged him to come to church the next Sunday. He gave the excuse, "I'm not strong enough to walk." "We'll send someone to come and get you," the team offered. He refused. However the next Sunday he hobbled into the church to the joy of the team. That Sunday morning, he not only attended church but gave his life to Jesus. Later, he also attended the Jesus film showing. He has a new identity - child of God! No longer is he the old man who wanted nothing to do with God!
Many of the Christians in these rural villages still follow traditional beliefs of using witchcraft and charms to protect them from evil spirits. When asked to teach in the churches, our students confronted these beliefs with the truth of God's Word. God wants us to trust Him -- He is all powerful and He cares for us. In one village, the believers repented, bringing together their charms and witchcraft material and burning it all.
In a different part of Nampula province the team was ministering in a local church. The church was so happy to receive the team that the church members stayed at the church where the team was sleeping in tents and sang until midnight. They spent the rest of the night sleeping there with the team.
In one of these local churches, the team members taught about Sin and Repentance. One of the church leaders came forward, publicly confessing his sin of a drunken lifestyle and expressing a heartfelt desire to turn from his sin and live a new life. The church members were surprised, and thankful, to see their leader's public confession. His lifestyle had been an embarrassment to them all. May God indeed give him the grace to leave the drunkenness behind.
In many of the communities, the believers were asking if they could come to the DTS next year. The team met with openness wherever they went and even a hunger for learning more of God's ways and word.
The outreach team practically served God's people. In one place they cleaned the yard and home of an older widower. They also went out and found firewood for him, carrying the wood on their heads back to his house.
One time, when the team was out doing evangelism, they struck up a conversation with a Muslim leader in the community. At one time he had some Christian upbringing or had belonged to a church but then had become a Muslim. Now he was a leader in the mosque. However, he recognized the words of truth and life that the team members spoke to him. He was so thankful for their visit, that he offered them a chicken, the African way of welcoming and honoring guests!
Well, these are some of the highlights of the team. They faced challenges in many different ways -- being offered and learning to accept and eat roasted rat in a rural village; taking a bath in standing water that was green with filth from villagers constantly using that pond for washing and bathing; some suffered from malaria; our staff member who is also a mother humbly slept in a makeshift hut that people had prepared for them only to find out in the morning that the ground was infested with fleas and her 3 year old daughter was bitten up from head to toe.
Perhaps, the scariest experience was a spiritual attack one night as the team slept in little grass huts with just a plastic tarp for a door. A man from the village came in the middle of the night, naked, shouting at them "The devil you are trying to cast out is here! It is me! Come out here and see! Answer me!" The team and the local family they were staying with stayed quiet and stayed inside. "Oh, so you won't respond to me! So you really are holy people!" He continued shouting at them until 4am. Yet God protected them through this all.
Well, that is enough stories for now..... God's Kingdom is advancing, sometimes in the humblest ways, with simple broken people who are willing to be used by God.
In one village, they met an old man whose name was the same name as the village. He had wanted no part of hearing God's Word or going to church. However team members visited him in his home and encouraged him to come to church the next Sunday. He gave the excuse, "I'm not strong enough to walk." "We'll send someone to come and get you," the team offered. He refused. However the next Sunday he hobbled into the church to the joy of the team. That Sunday morning, he not only attended church but gave his life to Jesus. Later, he also attended the Jesus film showing. He has a new identity - child of God! No longer is he the old man who wanted nothing to do with God!
Many of the Christians in these rural villages still follow traditional beliefs of using witchcraft and charms to protect them from evil spirits. When asked to teach in the churches, our students confronted these beliefs with the truth of God's Word. God wants us to trust Him -- He is all powerful and He cares for us. In one village, the believers repented, bringing together their charms and witchcraft material and burning it all.
In a different part of Nampula province the team was ministering in a local church. The church was so happy to receive the team that the church members stayed at the church where the team was sleeping in tents and sang until midnight. They spent the rest of the night sleeping there with the team.
In one of these local churches, the team members taught about Sin and Repentance. One of the church leaders came forward, publicly confessing his sin of a drunken lifestyle and expressing a heartfelt desire to turn from his sin and live a new life. The church members were surprised, and thankful, to see their leader's public confession. His lifestyle had been an embarrassment to them all. May God indeed give him the grace to leave the drunkenness behind.
In many of the communities, the believers were asking if they could come to the DTS next year. The team met with openness wherever they went and even a hunger for learning more of God's ways and word.
The outreach team practically served God's people. In one place they cleaned the yard and home of an older widower. They also went out and found firewood for him, carrying the wood on their heads back to his house.
One time, when the team was out doing evangelism, they struck up a conversation with a Muslim leader in the community. At one time he had some Christian upbringing or had belonged to a church but then had become a Muslim. Now he was a leader in the mosque. However, he recognized the words of truth and life that the team members spoke to him. He was so thankful for their visit, that he offered them a chicken, the African way of welcoming and honoring guests!
Well, these are some of the highlights of the team. They faced challenges in many different ways -- being offered and learning to accept and eat roasted rat in a rural village; taking a bath in standing water that was green with filth from villagers constantly using that pond for washing and bathing; some suffered from malaria; our staff member who is also a mother humbly slept in a makeshift hut that people had prepared for them only to find out in the morning that the ground was infested with fleas and her 3 year old daughter was bitten up from head to toe.
Perhaps, the scariest experience was a spiritual attack one night as the team slept in little grass huts with just a plastic tarp for a door. A man from the village came in the middle of the night, naked, shouting at them "The devil you are trying to cast out is here! It is me! Come out here and see! Answer me!" The team and the local family they were staying with stayed quiet and stayed inside. "Oh, so you won't respond to me! So you really are holy people!" He continued shouting at them until 4am. Yet God protected them through this all.
Well, that is enough stories for now..... God's Kingdom is advancing, sometimes in the humblest ways, with simple broken people who are willing to be used by God.
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