He knows All

The next few posts are from the past few days. You will see I've put them by date...

Sunday February 27^th

Wow. Today was one of those days that I don’t think could have been any richer. I was asked if I minded going out to one of the villages today to evangelize so a team member could distribute the eyeglasses (I had done this the past two days) since she was recovering from being sick and it allowed her to sit and be out of the sun. Would I mind?! Of course, I was thrilled to. It was me and two other gals, Michelle and Jaylin, along with our translators. It took us just over an hour to get out to Bori. I think we may have travelled 15 miles. Can you put two and two together? Yes, the roads are that bad. It was such a sweet time riding out there. We talked together about all of the Lord’s wonderful ways; I tried to learn more KuKu from our driver Moses and was yet again successful at bringing humor to him. I’m quickly learning that there’s a tomAAAATo/tomaahhhto difference in their words because I’ll ask one person how to say something and then am told a little different way by someone else! (Side note: I just got up from my computer and flung the biggest roach I have ever seen in my life off of my door frame. Where is that chicken when I need it?!!) That makes it tricky for me considering I don’t know how to say any of it! Haha...I just laugh and keep saying, “I’m learning!!”

Anyways, so I really felt the need to be prayed up before stepping foot on the ground and I specifically asked the Lord to guide us and lead us to where he wanted us to go…to specific people, to show us to go left or right. That is my hearts cry and has been since being led to come here (shouldn’t it be at all times!?) is to be so dependent on the Spirit’s guiding that I don’t take one step to the left if to the right is where He wants me to go! I just knew God was going to show up and do BIG things. This is both Michelle and Jaylin’s first mission trip and most definitely first time to Africa and I was just so excited to see all the Lord was going to allow them to see (not to mention me, too!). So, we get to Bori and sat under the tree for about 40 minutes or so. The pastor from that area was there and had planned that we would have a main “program” first and then would go out into the village from tukol to tukol. (Their homes) Well, the plan switched when no one came, so off we went. I just kept smiling from ear to ear. I just love it, y’all. I am still blown away that I can feel comfortable walking around in a place such as this when all that around me is simply so different than what I was born into. Now, don’t get me wrong-I was drenched in sweat, I had the weight of my backpack on me, my lovely fair skin was feeling the heat of this African sun and all its glory, but my spirit felt just right. What matters felt at home. Do you see? It’s because I’m doing what I was made to do…share the truth of the Life that Christ offers us! I was walking along grass that was almost as tall as me, stepping over tree branches, listening to the translators joyfully chatting, with barely even a drop of sweat coming off of them!, and God just reiterated to me that the joy He gives is truly made complete when his creations are doing what they are created for! Do you have that joy? I do want to challenge you. It doesn’t have to be Africa, it can be right there in your neighborhood. You are missing out, if not fulfilling what you were TRULY made for…glorifying His name.

Ok, back to the day! J So, we come across a few tukols and the ladies bring out a number of their benches. Of course, they are for the visitors to sit on. I simply just wanted to sit on the grass mat they laid out for themselves. Regardless, we sat down and within a few minutes we had probably 25 or so women and children as a captive audience in front of us. I noticed 2 men on the far sides listening as well after a few minutes. Jaylin shared the story of Jesus with her evangecube and we asked if they had any questions. They had just a couple and then we asked what choice they were going to make and 20 people chose eternal life!! The harvest is ripe, friends!! It is so stinkin’ ripe. The translators talked for just a bit and off we went to the next group of people. While walking our translators told us that just yesterday a family’s tukol had been destroyed by a fire and they lost everything. I’m sure you can imagine it would only take mere minutes for the grassy hut to be engulfed in this heat. Our hearts just broke to hear this. That is where we headed. We found a tree and were brought benches and sat for a few minutes. About 10 men and women with their children gathered around. They just come. Literally. So, Michelle shares the gospel via the evangecube. They all seemed to be receptive. I just felt in my heart that repentance needed to be emphasized. (When does it not!?) So, I talked with them about turning away from their sins, etc. There was just a heaviness there. I asked them if they had any questions for us. A man spoke up, who’s eyes carried the weight of the world. He looked directly at me and spoke. He had asked what I would say to them about the house burning down. How were they to understand that? What are they to do? I was so burdened by him. I began speaking and God reminded me that I had exactly what they needed to hear. I hadn’t even thought about it at all, until that exact moment. I tearfully shared that my sister had lost everything in a fire about a year ago…that she had almost lost her life if it hadn’t been for her dog waking her up. God allowed me to relate to them on a level that otherwise I may not have been able to. I shared her struggles and the life lessons that she has since learned because of that trial. Katie, above and beyond all of the amazing things that have come from your tough journey, God used it and you this day in a mighty, powerful way!!! The Sudanese man almost cried. I just knew Jesus was speaking to His heart. Despite all of that, one young lady chose eternal life while the rest stated they would “later”. I’m learning it’s very common that many don’t want to surrender today, but “later”. It broke my heart, but I knew the seed was planted just as God wanted it to be. We all walked away pleading through tears for the Lord to change their hearts and truly allow them to see their need of a Savior and a Hope that only comes from Him!

Next, we were walking and came across these beautiful elderly ladies. They showed us a grave that was right there where the chief of the village was buried just a few months ago. One of the elderly ladies was his wife and the other was his sister. They were SO JOYOUS. I’m telling you, beautiful. They just wanted to hug us and talk away as if we knew what they were saying! Haha. We kept on going and made our next stop at a hospital there in the village. I had no idea what was in store. Just when you think your heart can’t break anymore, it breaks more. This is when Emmanuel came into my life. Emmanuel is a 20 year old guy who is HIV +. He was sitting on the steps in the door way when we walked up and got up and went into the room. Our translators talked to the few people standing around and he told us we could go in there and pray for him, that he was in fact positive and claimed to be born again. I just knew I was to encourage this precious guy. I sat down on the bed next to him, in what seemed to be a heat box of a room. I am not exaggerating when I say it had to have been at least 115 degrees in there. Everyone in there was pouring sweat. What’s even more amazing is how it doesn’t matter one single bit when you are doing what God is asking you to do. So, I sat down and asked him if he knew English and he said “a little”. Often they know more than they let on, and I was so thankful for that so I could directly communicate with him. He indeed shared he was born again but that he was backsliding because he wasn’t able to go to church. I just started crying. He was this young man, literally ostracized in this room, in pain, feeling completely hopeless yet knowing fully what Christ accomplished for Him. It’s as if his hopelessness and loneliness overwhelmed me. I could feel it. I asked Him if he ever got to go out and he just said from his bed to the door way. His feel were extremely swollen and hurt him. That’s when I realized I hadn’t asked His name and asked. Emmanuel. I got a huge smile on my face and asked him if he knew what Emmanuel meant. He kept his head down looking at the floor as he had been this entire time and said, “Yes, God with us”. I joyously exclaimed that it was no accident that was his name!! That God is WITH HIM!! I saw the faintest twitch in his cheek…the very beginning of a smirk. I kept talking to him and telling him that God sent me to him to encourage him and let him know that he is loved and that God has not forgotten about him and that regardless of any amount of backsliding that it does not change God’s love for him. That there is NOTHING that could stop Christ from loving him. Oh, my heart. I asked if He believed that and he shook his head yes. I told Him I would be praying for Him and that many others would be praying for him. Please don’t make a liar out of me…please, please pray for Emmanuel. I prayed with Him and got up and God told me Emmanuel needed a physical reminder. So, I tore out a piece of paper and wrote, “Jessica is praying for you!” and gave it to him. I sat back down beside him and I handed t to him and said, so you don’t ever forget. He looked at it, and said, “This is good.” --The first positive words out of his mouth. I knew God had encouraged his heart. Emmanuel then told me he was being transferred to an actual hospital where he could get some medicine and would be close to a church so he could go if he was feeling well enough. I praise God for that. I stood up and was introduced to Emmanuel’s mom. I had noticed a lady standing and listening..it was her. We all chatted for a minute or two and we were about to head out. Emmanuel hadn’t looked at me at all up until this point so I squatted down and looked up at his eyes and he looked at me and I said again, I promise you I will be praying for you, Emmanuel. He gave the effort it took, and the most precious smile came upon his face and he said thank you. We walked out those doors and it took everything for me to stay on my feet. Even now, as I write this, 2 days later I weep for him. How many people do we know that simply need to know that they are not forgotten? That they are worthy! That they are precious and loved. Don’t wait to tell them, and please remember Emmanuel in your prayers.

Upon leaving the hospital we walked back to the “main area” under the large tree where we were told we would be discipling those we had walked around and talked to and had heard the Gospel as well as those that we had prayed to come who hadn’t made a decision to follow Christ. We were taking “a rest” and eating our “lunch” (aka crackers and granola barsJ) before the “program” and I decided to engage all of the children that were just sitting around staring at us. We had a blow up globe and I went and grabbed a few of the kiddos and began hitting the globe in the air with them. After a while, many joined. Then, what seemed like out of nowhere a young man walks up to us.

Thus, enters Abe Moses into my life! I could tell within seconds that he had been drinking. He smelled of alcohol. He began asking all three of us gals questions about America and why we were there, etc. He spoke extremely good English and his articulation of the words for some reason just stood out to me as he spoke. He then began explaining the Gospel. He talked about watching the Jesus film in school a while ago. We talked so many things and I kept bringing it back to Jesus. I just had a feeling that he knew all the right things to say, but that they were just words to him…even if he wanted them to be more. So, I finally came to the point where I asked him if he knew WHY Jesus died on the cross like he saw in the film. He paused, looked at me, and said that he saw the nails in His hands from the Jesus film, that everyone was crying when He died, that we came all the way there to talk to him, but that he did not know WHY He died! Oh, the joy it brings me to explain why Jesus died for us. Abe Moses soaked it up. It’s as if a light bulb went off. It just hadn’t all made sense until then. He knew about Jesus, he knew what Jesus had done, but the purpose of it all was missing until this moment! I went on to explain the importance of repentance and one of my favorite parts of our conversation happened up until this point. Here in Africa the best way to explain repentance is to turn your back on sin. So, I literally face Abe Moses and tell him that we have to turn our backs on sin and I turn around and start walking in the other direction a couple steps and explain that I didn’t look back. So, he says,” Okay, yes like this…” He turns his back and says, “to HELL with all of that sin!!” and points to his back and says..this way is Heaven. Oh, man we all laughed so hard…it was the purest, most simplistic understanding of Truth. It brought me so much joy. He got it.

We then started he discipleship group which included singing a couple praise songs, praying, and a short lesson from the local pastor. Michele shared her testimony, and I encouraged them all in their walk with the Lord.

After we finished praying a mom spoke up and said her 3 year old daughter, who was in her lap, has never been able to walk and asked if we knew what could be wrong. We all look at each other and I just simply state we don’t know, but we can pray for her. So, we all went over to her and I began praying over her, asking the Lord to heal her tiny body, to allow her to walk and to allow his healing to bring glory to His name. I simply kept pleading the Lord for His glory ALONE. Then I just knew I was supposed to tell the mom to have her little girl stand. I can’t even explain what was going on in my head. So, I told her to have her stand. She put her down and I grabbed the little girls hands as she clung onto my fingers and she stood…very wobbly..but stood. I kept praying for the Lord to allow her to walk..over and over..and over. Her legs let out from under her so I scooped her up into my lap as I was kneeling on the ground beside her and kept praying for this little girl. Again, I heard, tell her to walk. So, I faced her towards her mama, and told her to walk and motioned for her mama to put her hands out towards her. She took one step, then two, then another until she reached her mom’s arms. Healing. Come to find out she had never even stood on her own two feet before.

All for His glory.

I was spent that evening. Beautifully spent.

Monday February 28^th

I was asked to go back out to Bori, this time it would be just me and Michelle. I couldn’t wait to see what He had in store.

He is teaching me what it physically looks like to literally pray with expectation—a genuine faith filled belief that he WILL accomplish much. Doing so helps us to be prepared when it’s not if, but when he accomplishes much.

Pastor Stephen decided that this day in Bori we would go to the Market place instead of tukol to tukol. I was excited and curious about what it would all look like.

We go to the first store and that’s where I met Jackson. He explains that he is born again and is Catholic. Here, that often doesn’t go together. Pastor Stephen talks to Jackson briefly and then shares with me that Jackson says he is born again but that he sells alcohol from his store. With Catholics here that is okay, but not so okay with those that truly follow Christ. I knew immediately that I needed to go deeper with Jackson.

Let me explain alcohol here, in case you are wondering. Just as in the US, it is abused here. However, the difference here is that hardly ANYONE uses it in moderation. It is a huge coping mechanism that is ravishing lives, families, and villages. The alcohol that they make here is powerful. You can drink one of their bottles (probably about 3 cans of beer worth) and be full out drunk for 2 days. Alcohol here is associated with a life that is not born again. Culturally, it is not acceptable to drink (or sell) at all if you are born again. Now, this can go many ways, which I have had many discussions already with a number of pastors and seminary students.

So, back to Jackson. I proceeded to talk to Jackson (thankfully in English) and fully trust that the Spirit allows for clear communication when He wants the Truth to be understood! We discussed that salvation is by grace through faith and that selling alcohol in and of itself does not determine someone’s state of salvation. That selling alcohol becomes an obedience issue. After talking with him I fully believe he is born again, but when it comes down to it, denominations and what they put out there (sound familiar?!) messes so many people up here and distracts from Jesus himself! His problem was that he sold alcohol for money to send his kids to school. It is very common to hear this over here. Income is simply hard to come by. So, we discussed faith and trust and seeking how God would want to provide in a way that is pleasing to Him. I praise God that I could see the struggling in the face of Jackson. The spirit was working on his heart. Jackson and I prayed and I fully believe he will be changed and choose to rely upon Jesus for all of his needs. Will you join me in praying for Jackson? Pray for God to open doors for him so his faith can be strengthened as Jesus begins to work on his heart and eventually all those close to him! He needs some other way to provide for his children.

Meanwhile, Michele shared the Gospel with 3 men that came up to her and all 3 surrendered their lives to the Lord!!

After that, I needed to go to the bathroom. Let’s just say it was an adventure…oen that included what seemed like 1000 huge BUZZING horse flies. Man, be thankful for the blessings of our toiles and sewage systems.

After that fun adventure, we were invited to go through one of the stores into a courtyard that opened to the back of each store. Pretty neat. We sat down and after a minute or two about 35-40 people were gathered around..men, women, old and young.

Michelle shared the Gospel with the evangecube. We recognized some of the faces from the 2 days before. It’s always a blessing to see familiar faces, isn’t it? We asked if any had questions and many did. I just LOVE these times!!! Truth is being shared and boldly! The ask, it is answered. BAM. Questions include things involving having 2 wives (or 3 or 4…) and being told by a certain denomination that you can’t be saved if so (which is NOT the Truth), having 2 wives and not being allowed to be a leader in the church (which IS Truth), being the second wife and thining you can go to heaven because your son is a Pastor (can I hear a resounding “Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father!”)

As you can see, there are many cultural hindrances here.

4 surrendered their lives at this gathering…one being the man that asked me what to think of the fire yesterday!!!!! I just knew it would be very soon!! J

From there we went to a medical clinic where around 20 were sitting and waiting to be seen. Michelle shared her powerful testimony of being healed and overcoming painful trials (she was in a car wreck at age 14 where her mom died and she almost lost her life…has many scars as reminders, her family then lost their home because of financial strains from the medical costs and then less than a year ago she was in another major car accident and died a number of times on the table, only to be brought back. She has many new, large scars as another reminder) and I really felt strongly that I needed to emphasize that far beyond our need to be phy. Healed, we need spiritual healing!

By the time we headed back to the truck I was so full of joy I could have burst!

This night we had a celebration ceremony being that it was the teams last night. I was desperately trying to prepare my heart for them to leave. I made new friends and I was going to miss them terribly. The team leaving also made the fact that I’m staying and staying “alone”, real. The battle of loneliness began…