Faithful Prayer Warriors,
Please lift Gifti before the throne of grace. She is carrying all of the teaching for the women’s ministry while Vicky is away, and she is sick with both malaria and typhoid. Ask our Great Physician to strengthen and heal her body.
Thank you!
Dear friends and family,
We have been back to our “normal”, if you can use this word on a mission field, routineJ. We have four Women’s Bible studies a week; we also enjoy fellowship and tea. Jamie stated to teach the book of Exodus…so now we are studying Genesis, Exodus, Romans and Philippians…Please pray that the ladies will grow in their relationship with Jesus and also, they would be open to ask questions, to share their struggles so we can pray for them.
We started another semester in our Bible College. We have probably 25 students and it’s great to see them cleaning the church during a dayJ I also was very encouraged by a guy who came from Mombasa, from the church where we had a conference, and the Lord provided for him to be in the Bible College!!! Pretty amazing how God works!!!
In this update, I want you to show a few pictures of the new guest house…We moved at the end of July but we had two teams after that, so sorry for the delay…We are living very close to the Nairobi National Park, so close, that you can see animals from your windowJ. We have our own compound inside another compound. It’s a house with four bedrooms, a BIG living room and five bathrooms. For those who was here, we fixed the pump and now I don't have to take care of airlocks... The Lord also blessed us with a bigger kitchen!!! We also have a little back yard…Please pray for our neighbors, that we would build relationships with them and also have an opportunity to share the love of Christ!!!
May the Lord bless you,
Agape,
Natasha
Please pray for our team in the Nuba Mountains right now. James Olal, FRM’s Project Director for Sudan, called to report the first group of new candidates for class eight are boarding for their flight to Nimule. Absalom, the FRM chaplain running our operations in the Nuba Mountains has been discipling a group of about 25 men from the Darfur region over the last year. These men are so excited to be trained in the Word of God. Their home is 100% Muslim and they are ready to carry the light of the gospel back no matter what the cost. We believe God has great things in store for this next group of chaplains, please keep them in prayer!
James also informed is that the tensions in the Nuba Mountains are continuing to rise. We have personally experienced the anti-Christian sentiment. The Muslim government of Northern Sudan encroached upon our land to build an Islamic school. Absalom has been fighting daily to keep them from taking more of our land to build a Muslim clinic. President Omar Al-Bashir appointed as governor of the region the Darfurian leader of the Jinjaweed rebels. This man is a KNOWN criminal and has a warrant out for his arrest by the International Criminal Court. The oppression our Christians brothers and sisters are facing in this area of Sudan is extreme. Please intercede for them and ask God to deliver them. Elections are set for November 2010. Pray that all marginalized areas will be fairly represented, that no fixing of the vote will occur, that there will be no violence, and PLEASE ask for God to give them freedom.
I have been praying for this region of Sudan for over 10 years, please join me in asking God to open the way for me to go there to serve. Today two women came to James and asked, “Please, we know Vicky is training women in the South, can you please take us to train us as leaders? We want to help our women here and we need this training in the Bible.” My heart is aching to help these women. Please pray with me!
Agape,
Vicky
The day has arrived. We are all very excited and I wonder how much more excited the kids will be when we arrive. Vicky said this will be like Christmas magnified 100X. Little did I know what me and kids would encounter once we arrived.
We saw the kids and they were giddy and joyful. We arrived and they were singing and dancing. We got them all together and gave them one more drama to remind them that God sees them and He cares for them. Then we gave them a gospel message and many more kids got saved! What a day of rejoicing.
As rain clouds started approaching it did not deter the joy the kids had. We assembled in the classroom to pass out back packs each child entered so silently you could hear a pin drop. Not one of them wanted to miss hearing their name. We started down our list, sage and courage took turns passing out their back packs and one putting the pencils, cards, and uniforms into the Love packs. Then with much force that you could expect the rain came down in torrents so loud the kids could almost not hear their names. But the Lord prevailed as each kid came forward to get their pack. Our class was so large that some classes were let out and you could start seeing the sea of red outside but still our kids waited patiently. It was now time… the kids each received the pack and now it was time to pray and open their packs. As we prayed the kids started cheering and throw their packs in the air they did not even open them it went on for about 15 minutes when we finally were able to quiet them down and told them they could open the packs which started another torrent of screaming dancing and cheering. I turned to find Sage almost in tears and Courage jumping up and down clapping with them. You could not help but feel their excitement it moved through you where even we felt as if we could burst.
When courage went outside he said look mom I am drowning in a sea of red! I also told them they finally blend in because when they were outside I could not find Sage and Courage.
Sage said she loved the fact they were so excited before they even opened their backpacks. They would cheer so loud.
Vicky said this is like Christmas for the only magnified 100x. This was the most gifts they have ever received and may well be the most they ever will receive in the future.
I know these kids lives have been touched forever and there will be an imprint on them forever. But Sage, Courage and I have been changed just as much and there will be an imprint on our lives that too will last forever.
I woke up this morning around 6:30 to giggling and chatter outside my door and then I heard a squeal and then mom mom… I was so tired and ready to just ignore them when I wisely responded to them. They were saying mom there is a frog outside your door… Then what I thought was them opening the door drew me to say "don't open the door I don't want the frog in my room" quickly the door slammed shut when Courage cried, "He's been cut in half" Then Sage exclaiming I think we cut off his legs… then they started laughing hysterically declaring quite loudly that they killed him. I decided to get up to see the commotion when I saw the dead frog laying at my door. I came out and they both started talking all at once that it wasn't them who opened my door but the frog did. I am not sure exactly what happened but they are convinced this little frog opened my door. It made for quite an exciting morning.
I decided to let them call dad since it was early at home and there is always so much encouragement in talking to him. He let us know the many of you who are praying. The kids and I say thankyou. We can only send an email and it is able to post to everything I need it to so Bartley reads my facebook and wordpress to let us know all of you who have responded. It is also a HUGE encouragement to Sage and Courage.
Today is a quiet today as we are preparing for the Love Covers outreach next week. We counted little coloring cards, popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners for crafts and got the flannel graph ready for church tomorrow. The kids will be sharing on the widow of Zarephath and King Josiah. They will also be sharing this same study next week for the VBS so this will help them practice.
Courage helped Nancy today in making Chipates. They are like tortillas but much much better. Its because of all the sunflower oil they cook them in. courage had a blast he says he wants to be a chef now. That could change next week but hey it might be nice to have a chef around the house.
Sage gave her favorite earrings away to the girl who helps around the house. It blessed the girl so much and she was really touched. Sage asked Erica if she had a gift box to wrap it in but Sage realized we are in Kitgum they don't have gift wrapping here.
I talked to Vicky today and she told me the tailoring school is still not finished with the pants for the boys school uniforms. Please pray they get these done in time so we can get them in back packs for these kids. We always experience warfare and I know God will come through and do a miracle.
The kids are now off playing outside and I promised to take them outside the compound to meet the kids out there. They just want to play with them. Courage also taught the kids a game he made up can you guess what it would be called? Poisenous frog! If you know courage only he would make up a game called poisonous frog.
I love how kids are they are not like adults looking on the outward appearance. They just see kids they can play with it doesn't matter what they look like, or how dirty they are, or if they don't speak the same language, they love immediately. I think this is what God says to have faith like a child. They don't come with baggage or guards up they are just ready to play they are just ready to believe God will move.
I just heard the rumblings of thunder and the kids are next door playing with the McCourtney kids. I knew rain was coming when a thunder clap sounded so loud you could feel it vibrate inside you. I then heard the kids screaming in delight I thought it would terrify the them but Courage later told me the lightning he saw and how excited he was to see it. Then shortly after the down pour that came next was a cause for much discussion the rest of the evening. The kids stayed next door until the rain decreased.
Later that night we went to eat and the kids ate goat. Much to my surprise they liked it. Sage said next just tell her its steak. I didn't like it but maybe my kids are called to missionaries. They will be tested tomorrow when the go to the Infant Care center and the will be served posho and liver. Erica and I decided to just tell them its meat and I already told the kids they have to eat whatever is given them. I will let you know how that goes. This will be true test to not say they don't like it and to smile with gratefulness as they eat it.
