Community life.. I thought that community life would be a breeze after going to college and playing on sports teams.. boy was I wrong. Living with 16 other people in a small space and sharing one bathroom is pretty tough but has also been one of the best things that could happen. Spending this time with each other has helped us learn each others’ strengths and weaknesses and how to encourage each other to grow in our weaknesses. Each person is battling their own demons and are all at different emotional levels and we are working as a team to work through these things. Below is a picture of my team, Team Oasis, with the four gentlemen who were working here when we arrived: Jim, Loren, John, and Mark. Overall, it has been an awesome month and I have learned a ton.
In this area, there are lots of young men who live here and work at the orphanage who have a very hard past and have had to run from the devil and run to Christ. In this area, there is a lot of spiritual unrest. Voodoo drums are playing during the day and at night. I’m going to mention a couple of young men who I have gotten to know recently.
Jean Wesley is one of the nicest guys ever. He has very high hopes and aspires to be a doctor when he’s older. Growing up, he had voodoo houses on either side of his house and the voodoo priests would try to get him to come into their house for Lord knows what. He said that he didn’t like voodoo and he felt like he was being chased by God. He started working at the orphanage and he is pursuing God hard. I play chess with him a couple times a week and I have been teaching him and learning his story and it has been incredible. John Wesley is the one standing right in front of me (3rd person from the right). Nelson is the person on the far left.
Please be praying for them on their spiritual journey and for them to pursue their dreams of being a doctor and a mechanic. Also, please be praying for me as I miss my family and girlfriend very much. Pray for peace for me and for everyone back home. Please, also pray for the spiritual warfare that is going on here and is so deeply rooted in the culture.
God Bless.
