Journal Entry from 5/17/06
“Today has been filled with blessings.
I’ve enjoyed getting to minister with Abillio.
First off I have to say I have a new friend.
Abillio calls him my ‘big friend.’
His name is Obedio and he is 4 and his new favorite spot in the world is in my lap.
He cracks me up and is so stinking cute!
(Me and Obedio)
Our day has been a wonderful combination of ministry and rest.
It’s so quiet and serene here which makes it easy to really rest.
This morning after getting up we had a prayer time together with the guys who live here.
Then we were served amazingly good tea and roles.
We have been so well taken care of.
This family who didn’t even know if they had enough food has supplied our every need.
They always give us the best; the best chair, the best piece of food, everything the best!
After breakfast we went to pray for a woman who has Malaria and for her husband who has stomach problems.
From what I can gather they like us to start praying as they sing.
It’s actually pretty cool.
They sing beautiful African praise songs, we pray, and then they ask us to bring the word, which means that they want some one to preach.
After that we pray again then the ‘programa’ as they call it is over.
From there we went up to the church area to do another programa.
I preached on Ephesians chapter 2 and remembered again how much I enjoy preaching.
It makes me feel alive when God chooses to speak through me.
(This is the church area. It was destroyed by the cyclone but
that has not stopped the
congeregation from worshipping!)
People here are so thirsty for God’s word!
They are also so ready to be prayed for and blessed.
I love it!
It’s a privilege to serve and learn from such humble, beautiful, people.
After lunch we had time to rest – oh, I forgot to mention another chicken died in our honor today.
They are really pulling out all the stops for us!
Rest time was blissful, we all read and I fell asleep after that.
In the afternoon we walked about 2 km to another family’s house to pray for a sick woman.
It’s a privilege to visit and pray for people.
I really respect how the church cares for their people.
On the way back Abillio saw an older gentleman he knew who is not a Christian yet and asked if we would talk with him.
I felt like God was asking me to talk so I spoke from a story in Mark where Jesus heals a blind man.
It was fun to talk with him, the whole time I kept asking God to speak through me and use me.
At the end the man decided that he wanted to follow Christ, YEAH!
We all headed back to the house.
Before dinner our team helped shell peanuts.
It was slightly awkward doing it with a 4 year old on my lap but I got used to it.
Then we were served barracuda, rice and beans.
After eating a large group of people had gathered again, Abillio told us that many of them had walked miles to be there.
So like the first night we sang together then gave a message.
Full day, but God was beautifully present for all of it.
