Students at the Holy Given School of Missions are divided up into teams designated by colors. Each team goes on at least one overnight/weekend outreach. The group that I’m part of went on our overnight outreach at a village about 5 hours away. We spent 2-days and 2 nights sleeping in tents with the lady’s sleeping in their tents in the middle and surrounding them were the guys sleeping in their tents on the outside (just for safety). Somehow I ended in the very back (nothing like being the rear guard). The village was not only safe but a lot of fun. It had a small church. Both Christians and Muslims lived there.The outreach occurred Friday night and all day Saturday. Iris’ Mozambican pastors lead the outreaches and our job is to help as directed. When we arrived at the village, we first setup our tents. Then we started setting up the equipment to play the Jesus Film in the local language. At the first the children would not go near any of the white skinned ladies that were on my team. Whenever the ladies moved near them, they either ran back or kept a good distance away. Because I looked more like them, they let me get close. After we got acquainted, I told one of my white sisters to come over. We both knelt down and the children were finally ready to play with the “white visitors” that wanted so much to play with them. (In one way it was funny and in another way it wasn’t).
Lots of amazing things happened during the trip, and I also got to witness awesome things for the first time. The Lord has been putting village children on the hearts of my wife and I and this trip was no different. The first night, a group of children crowded around me making all kind of noises and then they started singing (along with others making noise). In the midst of the singing and noise, I heard a heavenly tune that caught my attention. I’ve never heard a sound like that before. It was remarkably different than any other singing. I looked into the crowd of children and saw angels! Yes angels appearing as children. The Lord opened my eyes and I saw them all, scattered within the crowd of children singing their song. I got so excited, I turned to call one other team members and as I turned back the song slowly faded. She missed seeing them all and didn’t hear a thing.
After the film played Friday night, the Mozambican heading the outreach preached! Several people gave their lives to the Lord. Hallelujah! Since the movie started late it was about 10 o’clock at night when we started praying for the sick. The Lord healed many of stomach aches, headaches, and other things. I was also able to pray for a number of people that were had lower back aches and were urinating blood. I didn’t always have a translator available but when I did the people were very, very descriptive about what hurt and where it was.The next day, I and two ladies were assigned to keep all the village children (50+ children or more) occupied to keep them away from the medical team. Iris’ new medical outreach team accompanied us to care to provide general consultation, scabies treatments, malaria medicine and a slew of other things. There were many cases of Malnutrition, worms and scabies. Tennis balls, balloons, follow the leader, singing songs in local language and other things filled 3 hours. I even found a friend that decided to teach me more about love as he insisted on holding my handing and following me around. Then another child proved to be a very strict teacher as he taught me a song in their local language, Makua. He was very stern and quickly corrected me whenever I pronounced something wrong. I made a big effort to learn quickly.
Saturday night the village Chief gave his heart to the Lord. After the movie, the Lord healed more women and men that came forward for healing. A little girl that had a problem with her right ear was instantly healed. Another man that had pain all over his body was also instantly healed. And then it happened (I’ll give you a shortened description), I saw the Lord. The only way I can describe it is that I saw presence of the Lord in human form walking in the midst of the people. (I know you probably want a better description, but I’m it’s easier to explain the angels among the children). When I saw him, a shout arose within me and I turned to my interpreter and shouted, the Lord is here. He didn’t get it, but he soon did as I told him to dance. I left the people in the healing line and danced because the Lord wanted to dance. When the Lord walked through the midst of the people everything changed. Healing and miracles weren’t the focus, praying for the sick wasn’t the focus…He became the focus. Nothing mattered to me more than pleasing Him. Amazing joy poured out of me as I danced. Then the Lord began healing people with ease and without many words. God is amazing. The atmosphere of the whole place changed. A man completely drunk was so touched by the power of God he began to praise God in his drunken stupor. The next day we went to another village on the way home. The people gathering for church cheered (African style) as a few of their ladies were hugged by the “while ladies” on my team. Many of the people in these villages never saw or were touched by a white person. 6 or 7 people on our team gave their testimonies. Everything was calm until I gave mine, and right in the middle the people were distracted by someone holding up new clothes by our truck and half the crowd turned around. The gospel message went forth and I trust the will of God was still done. A lot of other things happened including a half dressed man, with his genitals hanging out came over to me and a few other people asking for prayer. Eric, one of the doctors took a tissue and cleaned the mucous and other slime off of his face without gloves. My heart ached with this example of love. He came to me and pointed to his stomach, motioning me to pray for Him. I did so and he expressed his gratitude. Obviously, this young man had mental issues that the village new about. Still, if we had clothes I would have loved to dress him. Even he is worthy to be honored.
My internet time is running out so I have to post this. We are all well!
No comments:
Post a Comment