Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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The first week we were here we had the opportunity to drive out to Danat (a very rural place… about a 30 minute ride from El Nido).  There we met Pastor Abus, saw his home, his garden, his vermi farm (worm compost), and also saw the land he wanted to build a church on.  This was not just land… this was a jungle!
 He explained that the people that live in Danat do not have a church – not one.  He said they gather for bible study in random houses.  They will walk… yes walk… into El Nido once a month for a church service. 

We met Pastor Abus again our first Sunday here, when we attended the local Zion church.  He preached a very powerful message.  The sermon was in tagalog, but my spirt could tell… I could feel the power and truth in his words.  At the end of the message 10 people went forward to the alter.

This past week we have been able to go back to Danat and help pastor Abus make his vision a reality.  I love how any building can be built in the Philippines with just a machete, a shovel, and God’s creation.  We beat tree trunks with sticks to brake off the bark to find the smooth wood underneath.  We pulled up the grass and plants from the ground, with our hands, to clear out a place for the floor.  We dug out clay and dirt from the ground and moved it over the cleared out space.  We stood back and watched in amazement at the progress of this temple being built by the hands of the men that will be attending the church.

Before the first post was put into the ground, Pastor Abus wanted to have a church dedication prayer.  He said that two of the men that were helping build the church are into witchcraft.  Their wives have accepted Christ so he is happy that God in now in their homes, but he said just the other day  they had healed someone with the power of the demon spirits.  He said that they are helping build the church because their wives told them too and also to watch us and see what it looks like to be a Christ follower.  Pastor Abus said that they kill animals and use the blood for dedications but he is trying to tell them about Jesus’ blood that was spilt so no other blood is ever needed – His blood is enough to cover everything.  He said that they will kill animals and pray for any and all demon spirits to come and eat of the animal then they will feed the animal to the blind and deaf and sick for healing.  He said that they are scared of the evil spirits when they pray because if the evil spirits get inside them they can get very sick.  He said that the men commented on the prayer that was said for the church dedication.  They said it was a good prayer – no fear. 

 
God has really just encouraged me so much through this church building.  It is amazing that our hands had a part in building this temple –  we had a part in laying the physical foundation to this building.  One day someone is going to walk down the isle of this church – their feet are going to stand firm on this foundation and they are going to meet Jesus.  One day this place will see healings, miracles, people will be set free, their chains broken, their strongholds untied… this place will be a place of worship, a place of prayer, a place of Truth… this place will be a mighty place of power and love… this IS a place of salvation! 

 And when that person meets Jesus, when ever that is – who ever it is – our hands had a part of that.  Every tree we beat, every piece of grass we pulled, every bag of dirt we carried, made a difference to someone’s life.  I love that!!  I love that God really does use us to make a difference.  It may not always look like we thought it would, but the work of our hands are His, the steps of our feet are His – I love that our physical bodies were available to Him- for His labor –  to share His love with some of the people of Danat.

I praise God for allowing me to be here, for working through me, for giving me the desire and strength to work on this church.  Everything is from Him… it is because He loves me that I can love at all.  Oh how He loves us – all of us!!

 (…I can not wait till the day that I can return and attend a service in this church…)