Prayers

As we head into a new week, new hopes and expectations, I thought I would take a minute to ask for prayers.

God has been so good to us thus far, every prayer, every encouragement we have asked for, He has given. This week has been an extremely intense week, but God has been so good to be right there every step of the way, guiding us and sending to us the right people at just the right moments. We know there are those of you back home praying, and I thank you – we can tell!

We believe satan has had rule of this place (Africa in general, this village specifically) and he’s not real happy now that God is kicking him out of a good thing. He’s been sitting back in his la-z-boy and causing a blindness to God in this place. So, we are in the middle of a pretty intense battle but we know Who the victor will be and we know He is Who we serve so we hold fast in the knowledge that although things may be tough, intense and frustrating, God is leading us through and to the other side – Victorious.

Pray that our solar is fixed for good! I lost everything in my fridge this week, again! We haven’t been able to use our fans for a few days and it’s been hot. I know these are minor things compared to what other’s face here, but it is frustrating!

Pray for all the children here, in the orphanage and in the village. It is a rough life they have, what we take for granted at home…education, three meals a day, parents/family…some of them will never have. Pray that they come to know they have a Heavenly Father and that even in their circumstances blessings will come with their faith in Him. Pray for us that as we try to survey this village and figure out ways to help that God will lead us. It is extremely difficult in this culture to just ask questions to try and understand the needs, because just in our talking about say, education, it is construed very quickly that because we even ask, we are going to start sending all their kids to school. It is hard to determine the needs without being thought to be making promises! So we are praying God shows us how to find out the things we need to know in a way that doesnt cause confusion and disappointment.

Pray for our health always. Raelee has been told over and over don’t share things to drink, or put her mouth on things she shouldn’t and yet, yesterday at a big party she and another boy are passing a toy trumpet back and forth blowing on it! So, we do what we can do and pray God looks down on her and wipes her clean everytime, with a smile on His face that she has accepted these children without any reservations. Let us all be that way!

And just pray for our discernment. It’s not easy to discern real needs and just wants because we are white and we’ve probably got much to give. It isn’t an easy thing needing to trust in people, but having very few we can. I believe time will change some of this, but that doesn’t make it easier some days!

Pray for our families back home. We miss them dearly, and know sometimes it’s hard for them to understand what on earth we are doing!

I pray for you, whoever you are that reads this. Thank you for being a part of our lives, and thank you for your prayers.

Cistern Project Days 5&6

We had a few minor setbacks and some distractions to the work, but the project is 98% finished! And it rained two nights ago and the water flooded through the gutters and into the barrels! Success! There is one part, you can see the wide span where Wes is welding, he will finish that on the other side of that building hopefully tomorrow and the project will be completed! We are so thankful that it was done before the rainy season came (which we hear is very delayed – God held the rain so we could finish!)

This week will be the start of another well and water pump put in for the village!

The Saved

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:30-31

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Sunday morning service went very well, God moved in a big way. We had worship (3 hours of it!) and then Christian gave the message out of Mark – Mark 10:17-22. At the end of the message 5 people came to the front confessing they want to follow Jesus! Can I get an Amen?! We are so excited about what God is doing, this week we, with the Pastor that has been here every week shepherding the people, are starting Bible Study and discipleship classes. This, even more than the work that is going on, is the most important thing we can be doing here, we believe what God has sent us here to do. To tell the good news and set the captives free!

Raelee’s New Dance

Please excuse my videography skills…I was trying to film and dance with her to help her! Since we got home, I have had to play it over and over so that she can practice. She wants to be able to do it all when she goes back and sees these girls again! This was at the source of the Nile, we had a very good day, but didn’t get to feed many monkeys which was disappointing!

Cistern Project Day 4

DSC01091_resized DSC01089_resizedFriday they were able to concrete the post for the stand the tanks will sit on. We thought the project would be completed by Friday, but there were a few delays…voting, party planning meetings (more to come about that! Fascinating!) voting again, and a little rain. So, work on the gutters will start on Monday, Lord willing and no surprise meetings! It is raining this morning, so praying that doesn’t interfere with the concrete foundations drying. It is interfering with our plans to go to the Nile River and feed monkeys! 😦

Day In The Life Of Raelee

Raelee being the doctor and giving her patients check-ups!
She bathes for awhile in the bucket and then I have to pour clean water to rinse off the African red dirt!

The following pics are of the castle, tree fort and dome house which is where she also plays. We are in the process of cleaning it up and cleaning the area around it so that I can see it from the window of our home. More pics to follow when we get it all done. The dome house is big enough for even Christian to stand in, and we’ve been told at one time a guest lived it in for awhile. It is pretty cool, but when you get in it, even your breathing echoes. So, I can’t be in it with our loud mouth girl, the sound is too much. We are trying to figure out how we can reduce the echoes a little bit. It is great fun for Raelee and the other kids!

Entrance to the dome house
Up into the tree!

The Cistern Project – Day 3

Work on the gutters has been moving right along since the rain stopped on Monday morning. The tin on all the roofs had to be trimmed back and then brackets mounted. There are four guys working on this, and a fifth one that I think has appointed himself supervisor when he feels like it, around lunch time. I’m pretty sure he is going to be a little disappointed come time for payment of work done!

Today, we are waiting on the gutters to be delivered, and the tanks that will hold the rain water. Looks like we are going to get it done by the time the big rains start, hallelujah!