Prayer update

Monday December 8th, 2008

Thank you so much for your faithful prayers these past couple of days. It has been exhausting but so amazing. God is amazing!! He never does what you think He will do and He always does it better! The meeting with the community and David was a blessing. David was so bold and stated frankly the issues and the people guilty of these problems, Chief being a part of the problem. The Commissioner was fully supportive and the community applauded after he finished his speech (by the way, there were 180 people who showed up for this). After David spoke a man stood up and David thought he was going to get reprimanded but the man said “we can’t let you leave, we need you”, Then another person stood up and said the same thing…and another. (This all in Didinga). They have now appointed people in place who will be in charge of arresting people and taking them to Chukudum jail. Please pray for Ark Angelo. He is in charge of this and he is a part of the SPLA and our friend. Another thing, two of the thieves are a part of his family and he is going to have to arrest them. He has promised that if it came down to arresting his brother he would if it was the right thing to do. This is huge but he needs our prayers. On the other front we stated our main purpose of sharing Christ with them and they want that, too! God has completely changed their hearts and they are moving towards ways to make changes for us to come back. We were so excited and touched by how much this community has already become a part of our family. No one ever wanted to leave, as hard as it has been. We will be returning a week from Tuesday and from there they are choosing a new chief and throwing a huge thing to welcome us to the community. I can’t express how big this is for this community. Even leaders from Africa look at this tribe as being so backwards and dysfunctional and yet there is hope! God is their hope..for only He can move in their hearts and we believe He is.

Other prayer requests~

1. Many know that Winny from Hong Kong was my roommate and she decided this week that she needs to be somewhere else. The two culture differences has made it extremely hard on her and she is physically not able to stay. Pray that God would lead her and direct her to serve. This was hard for our team amidst everything else.
2. Another team member is waiting to hear from her church on whether they will support her. Please pray that the money will come in so that she can stay. It would be devastating if she is sent home, but I believe this is where God wants her…please pray for her support!!
3. Pray for God’s working in this community and that they would see the consequences of their sins and how it effects all those around them.
4. Pray that our team would be able to go back strong and ready to pour our hearts into them again.

Praise God for the ways He has moved and the ways He has answered ALL our prayers and gave us the grace and faithfulness to continue on and love these people when they were so hard to love at times. I am so grateful to serve such a mighty God and be a part of His perfect plan. That alone keeps me going each day.
Many have asked where we are staying. Currently we are in Lokichoggio, Kenya (the address to where mail is sent). We have been staying at two locations. Currently I am at this internet café eating ICE CREAM!!!! It’s wonderful J Thank you for all the snail mail I have received. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to receive letters from you. The plane comes and we all run out to see if he will be dropping mail. It’s so much fun!! I praise God for all the ways you have encouraged me!!!