The smell of sweat and sunscreen filled the air as we finished our first 45 minute hike to the village we would call our ministry home for the month. Huts made of cinderblock and feces spread out revealing lines of laundry, laughing children, and donkeys tied to earth.
I took a deep breath. Lord, have your way.
Alongside our translator, my team and I spent the month loving on and serving each man, woman, and child in the village in the name of Jesus. We washed their dishes, we fetched them water, we weeded their gardens, we cut up firewood, we swept their floors, we moved their donkeys (that was fun), and we helped them tend their fires for cooking. In addition to serving them through doing the day-to-day chores, we prayed for them and shared the gospel with them.
22 days, numerous miraculous healings, several salvations, and 3 hot showers later – we wrapped up our time in Lesotho.
I have so many stories from this month that deserve to be told – because let me tell you, God MOVED MOUNTAINS in the villages of Malealea. I wish I could share every single one with you, but since that would take weeks – here are a few of my favorites along with some pictures…
The Story of Mme Cecilia
One of my favorite days in our village including meeting Mme Cecilia. Bethany and I washed her dishes as Derek and Dosson fetched her a few buckets of water. We asked her to share her story with us. We reminisced with her and laughed with her as she told us stories from her childhood and marriage. She asked us about ourselves, and we shared with her. We shared with her how God had impacted our lives and shared about the grace of Jesus. We asked her if she had ever heard of Jesus, and she hadn’t. We then shared more about Him and asked what she thought. She told us she wanted to make Him the Lord of her life! The picture above is us leading her in a prayer beginning her walk with God.
Bethany and I felt strongly that we needed to find Mme Cecilia a Bible. When we gifted her with this one on the next day, she kissed it, kissed us, and opened it in awe.
————————————————————————————————
The Story of Mme Selina
On our very first day in the village, we met a special lady – Mme Selina (pictured with us above). As Thomas and Dosson weeded her garden, I washed her dishes and asked her to share her testimony with me. In addition to her life story, she shared with me that she had not stood up straight in over 15 years and asked me to touch her spine. Almost immediately, God told me to pray healing over her. I asked if I could pray for her, and she said yes – with one condition: I pray over her inside her prayer hut.
I knew almost right away in meeting her that she had practiced witchcraft and when we entered into her hut, this was confirmed. She put a rope around her waist (which she believed held a spirit of healing) and she began beating on a drum and crying out to her ancestors. When she finished, I asked her questions about the rope and the drum – Dosson, Thomas, and I then shared the gospel with her and told her that true healing can only come from one Spirit and that’s the Holy Spirit. We explained that God cannot be contained by material things but that He chooses to live in us whom He calls His children. We asked her to remove her rope, and as she did – she knelt to the ground. I knelt beside her and placed my hands on her spine. As we prayed for healing over her, I could physically feel the Holy Spirit healing her back.
Over the next few days, we followed up with Mme Selina and she told us how there was absolutely no pain left in her spine. She also told us that she no longer uses her drum or the rope. She also told us that she had had a vision of Jesus smiling. God moved in her and set her free!
————————————————————————————————
The Story of Valentine’s Day
On the day of love, we went door to door sharing the gospel. We visited several homes and three people gave their lives to Jesus! Pictured above is Bethany, Tebo (our translator), and I sharing with a family at their home.
————————————————————————————————
The Story of Botswella
Towards the end of our time in Malealea, we spent a few days camping out in Botswella (a village higher up in the mountains of Lesotho).
During our first day, we went door to door sharing the gospel and saw 2 people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior! On our second night there, we held a church service on the side of the mountain and 7 people said ‘YES’ to following Jesus. On the following day, Thomas and I were able to follow up with a few of them. After speaking to them, we met two other believers in the village and encouraged them in their faith. As we were preparing to leave their home, one of the women asked that we pray over her husband. She told us, “He’s not a Christian, and I know things will change if He would believe.”
Thomas prayed for her husband and we bid her good-bye. As we were walking back to our hut for lunch, we ran into a man who we began speaking to – you guessed it, it was her husband! We shared the gospel with him, and He said He wanted to follow Christ! We led him in a prayer of salvation then and there!
————————————————————————————————-
This month was a true testament to God’s faithfulness. If there is anything I know for sure, I know God is good. Thank you all for your continued love and support. Here are a few final pictures from month 7 in Lesotho!
Sunrise in the Malealea valley
Pulling weeds and ‘mowing’ the grass
Walking to our village/ministry home.
Getting ready to head to the village (in style of course)
One of the sweetest girls in all of Lesotho
I THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me with donations and prayers! I’m still in need of just over $5000 by the end of March to be fully funded – if you’d like to support you can visit https://www.youcaring.com/madisongoodwin-805638
