Traveling through and having the opportunity to walk the footsteps that are all through out the Bible is an opportunity that I never dreamed I would be able to experience. Reading about them is the Bible is so much different when you are actually in the country that is being talked about, or sitting on the river they refer to. The book of Exodus has become so alive to me while I have been here in the land of Egypt.
“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
Exodus 3:5
Our ministry time here has been a bit different than what we are use to, but hey… we are all about flexibility and surprises. This far into the trip, we have become pros at it. We have let the Holy Spirit lead us and even when we didn’t expect it He was putting us in divine situations that He had planned long before we did. (Many of which we “planned” 5 minutes before.)
Interesting that we just left Turkey where we were studying the book of Revelations and what it means… our thoughts. We got here and come to find out they have a summer arts program that (… are you ready… hold onto your chair) they had 18,000 kids and youth involved in. Yes… 18,000 isn’t that crazy!!! Would you ever think of $18,000 kids and youth in the States giving up their entire summer to study and make Revelations? I don’t think so.
So… for over 3 weeks they would spend their entire day making visual aids that described the book of Revelations. Many of the girls here were able to help them with the finishing touches that had to be done so that they could have their “show”. They had 4 nights where people could come and walk through the live display drama and get a picture of Revelations. It was amazing and very challenging for all of us.
With the Coptic Orthodox Church, “church” is not something that you are just a part of, it is your life. The grounds here are constantly full of people and have things going on non-stop. We were able to take part in English classes, the guys were able to hold businesses classes and we taught many Bible study classes.
One of the times, the girls were all going to do our girl’s bible school and we get there and what do you know… we get kicked out!!! They did not want us there, told us we were in the wrong place. We had so much planned for those girls and they would not let us do anything. So, they take us to a room where they are having English class and tell us we are in charge… what? Are you crazy? We are so unprepared!!! Thanks to Lana, the teacher, she was able to throw something together and did a great job.
As we are walking out the door of English class, a man comes over and leads us to another room full of youth. Come to find out, these youth are from a neighboring village and the government shut their church down, so they come here once a week to have church. They gave the whole service to us… so once again, we put a program together and it went amazingly.
The hunger that this group of kids had was incredible. Anytime you stopped talking they immediately had their hand raised ready to ask more questions… whether they were asking our name and about our country to what true freedom was to what was the persecution like in our country to Christians. They were so hungry they could not get full. That whole night nothing went the way that “we” planned, but everything went exactly the way the Lord planned and He moved and was able to use us to minister to them in many ways.
The Lord has really been dealing with us and our unbelief. He has been asking “How much do you trust me?” “How far are you willing to step out and trust that I will catch you?”…
“…sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you MUST rule over it.”
Genesis 4:7
Unbelief is sin and we are overcoming that and not letting it rule over us. We are stepping out and saying Lord, we trust you and will take a giant step and we know that you are going to be there because you are faithful.
With it being so close to the end of the race, our finances are being stretched very tight. We all knew that this time was going to come, but we are no longer saying “when that time comes” that time is here. We have taken a giant step and purchased our plane tickets from Kenya to South Africa… (which is a major blessing from the Lord that we found the price we did)… so we are continuing on that path and saying… we will continue to take leaps and bounds and continue to trust that you will be there to catch us.
I ask that you will please keep lifting us up in this and having faith with us, not for us… but during the times that we are weak; we need your prayers of strength.
All of the World Racers are short $16,000 to finish the trip. I ask that you pray about joining us in finishing up our year of ministry. If the Lord is leading you, simply click the support link on the side of this page.
God Bless You and thank you all for your Prayers and Support.
“…Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3
I will leave you with a funny picture of me leaving the bishop’s house… Browse my photos for more updated pictures…
