Friday, April 10, 2009

Encouragement!

While looking through blog entries, I realized I have so many amazing God moments that need to be shared, and haven’t on this blog! So I want to take a minute to tell you two that I had this week…

 

Tuesday afternoon Shaila and I had the privilege of watching the Jesus film with 7 little girls from our village. Four of these little girls go to church with us, and after missing out on cookies, kool-aid, and Bible stories at our house several weeks ago, they went to our supervisor’s house and asked if she could tell them a story. She shared kool-aid with them and told the story of Jesus in Chichewa while Shaila and I listened, the four girls accepted Christ that day!! Since then, they have continued coming to hear Bible stories, and they always bring more friends! So this week, we had 7 in our supervisors home to watch the Jesus film! As we watched, I loved watching the girls faces as they saw the story portrayed for the first time on film. I prayed as their eyes grew wider and different expressions of excitement and anticipation, fear, and sadness swam across their faces, “Lord, please let them know YOU did this JUST for THEM.”

 

One little girl was resting her head on my knees and as the crucifixion was portrayed I felt the tiniest hand slide into mine and grip it tightly. My heart melted as we both cried watching what our Savior did for us on the cross. I stood amazed at how God heals hearts so differently, in so many different countries, tribes, and cultures. I was amazed and am so thankful that the same HUGE God loves me just as much as He loves my little friends here, and how He displays His love in such mighty and different ways. It was an incredible experience.

 

The next wonderfully encouraging God moment was Wednesday afternoon at TAYO Bible study. There was no one there except my team and Francis. A lot of people are on holiday of some sort this week, but we continued with Bible study with Francis. As we’ve been learning about our own testimonies and sharing them, we asked Francis to share with us his “God story”. After praying, he proceeded to amaze us with how God has worked miraculously in his life, and after he finished telling how God worked in his life, He told us the story of how God worked in Elijah’s life as God showed His power by lighting the wood on fire when others were crying out to Baal, and then Francis even continued into how his people, the Lomwe, need to understand the power of God and break their traditions of charms on babies, sacrifices, and traditions at funerals.

 

It was amazing to watch the love and passion in his eyes as he talked. He LOVES his Lord! When he was through, we said, “Francis, do you realize what you’ve just done? You just led Bible study.”

 

“Me! Ah, no!... really!? … I just did?? Wow! I can say that it must have been Jesus in me, I did not even know!” He said. Precious. I love it!

Ever since he realized “He, too could LEAD a Bible study”, He has been on fire! Today he was full of ideas on how to get the community involved with weekly TAYO Bible study. He just wants others to know. What a sweet treasure he has been in our ministry! I am pretty sure we have found one of our new leaders to continue Bible study!! Please continue to pray for Francis as he and his wife and small son stand firm in the Word, the Truth, especially when all of his culture tells him to synchronize his beliefs with African traditional culture.

 

Praise God for His encouragement and incredible Love!

 

Thank you for the continued prayers and support of our ministry! Continue praying as we head into Mozambique for round 2 of surveying unreached communities today! We will be traveling through next Wednesday. Pray for TAYO as we are gone, Mozambique, as we are there, and us as we travel!

 

Praise Him! He is Risen! 

1 comment:

  1. Laeken
    Thanks for the stories. You are in my prayers. God is moving.

    ReplyDelete