Jaco definitely lived extreme in the most casual way. Jaco is about 56, I should say, and could be everyone’s favorite uncle. This guy’s done it all! He told me a story about lions when he was on the police force years back, and how 13 lions were between him an this 2-inch thick bamboo reed wall… (a 5 year old could get through easily) and neither he nor his friend were near their guns which were in the car where the lions were all congregating. So after an hour of Jaco trying to be as quiet as possible, I imagine, the lions left and Jaco and his friend got their guns and chased after them for two days and Jaco’s friend killed his buck, and Jaco killed a lioness! Crazy, crazy stories from Jaco…
I got some crazy stories of my own, however! My story’s called “A GIVING GROUND” and has to do with a 15 foot hole in the ground that acted as my bathroom for this last month… I got the DIE and ree-uh for about two weeks and on the last day in this village, I definitely squatted down to do my business, and this thought comes into your mind everytime anyone goes into an outdoor bathroom out camping and we all know this thought… “How bad would it suck to fall down into that heap of nastiness!?”
Well, this particular time, it passed me by, and I totally forgot about that thought until I felt the ground give. I’ve never moved so fast. I’m still terrified. I did NOT fall in, and I’m here to say that God loves this guy. I got some special angels.
On a serious note, this month was a stretch for me. The villages I lived in while in Mozambique, were pretty challenging as far as the normal way of living goes. There were worms in the water and that made me skiddish about drinking my’ nalgene and so I didn’t drink a full nalgene a day because I didn’t want my system to get janked. So now, I’m dehydrated and my system is jacked anyways, because my life source is on an all-time low. God, in his great wisdom, knows how to bring me close to him, and to depend on him. So, when I had the ree-uuh!… That definitely dehydrated me even more, and so I grew pretty miserable. It didn’t take me long at all to pray to God with my whole heart that I wouldn’t poop my pants in my sleeping bag or something awful like that… But, guess what nothing was happening! What the duece, God? I’m a nasty, miserable, death-mess! And I’m exhausted from pooping! I really do need you!
Well, as it turns out, I’m as stubborn as a donkey… God wanted me to ask for prayer, as in, he wanted me to ask someone around me for prayer. Sounds easy enough, except I’m stubborn, remember? Yup, so two, really horrible weeks later… I ask for prayer and God answers.
“OH! Now I get it! I’m supposed to ask for prayer!” … <—-This guy has a little issue with pride…
It sounds silly and maybe even stupid, but it was a tough thing to ask for prayer, and an even harder task to choose to receive that prayer prayed over me to Jesus.
I’m alive and well though, and I’m about to head out to Swaziland with my team, Koinonia and the GW’s (Gentle Warriors) where I’ll have an opportunity to work with orphans and maybe even do some MANLY Manual LABOR! I think its definitely something God made Man able to enjoy… and just about no woman understands me when I say however many times it takes to get the shovel in my hands, “Can I dig please?” Or whatever the task is… It’s amazing. Dirt under my fingernails, then take a bath in the lake, what could be a better day, ya’ll? God is good to me. I’m excited to work in Swaziland with Koinonia and the GW’s. It’ll be awesome. I’m having the best time of my life, and I’m fighting to empty myself so I can just get filled with all that God wants to fill me with!
Pray for:
discipline
surrender of ownership (what I think I have a right to, and also what I think my name belongs on, instead of the my God’s name, Jesus’ name)
obedience
protection from deception, pray for discernment
Love you all and it’s good to hear from all you guys, so thanks for the comments! Take careful care and get over yourself and receive all the love that the Lord wants to fill you with! He wants to give it all to us, but we can’t even handle it, so make room and be filled with the things of the Lord! Take heart and joy and be Enthusiastic!
