Singing Pr@ises

Night had set, our pajamas were on, our beds were fixed, our heads down on our pillows, as the sound of many voices singing, “who brought millet, who brought corn, who brought peanuts….J.S.S. DID, came to our ears by the women of the village dancing into our compound!!!

Three days had passed, as we worked from early morning to night giving out the millet, the corn and the peanuts. Each day our team woke up refreshed with renewed strength, boldness and joy that could only come from our Father filling us up. Throughout the day we distributed whole bags as well as divided bags into halves, quarters and three-fourths so each person received the same amount of each commodity.  We did not have the opportunity to meet everybody in the village; however, every person that we did meet was greeted knowing that this grain did not come from the white people, but from J.s.s. We blessed them saying “May Father multiple this grain every day; may this grain never run out!” As the men and women waited for their name to be called to collect their grain, conversations were started and stories from Father’s Word were told.

By the end of the third day, our team is exhausted not only from the hard work of dividing up bags and bags of grain, but from the heat of this hot season. However, the village was bursting with joy as each family had finally received all of the grain that Father had provided for them. Joy was seen in the faces of men with families to feed, women screamed with joy for food to feed their children and children felt the excitement of their families acting as mischievous as ever! 

Sitting in the compound we called home, woman after woman walked in telling us “I’m full…thank you for the food.” We always responded by thanking J.s.s and reminding them that this millet, corn and peanuts came in the name of J.s.s…not in the name of our team leader, not in the name of the white people, but in the name of J.s.s.! 

 This night the village came together to celebrate the provision that Father had given them….food, a rare sight for many of the men, women and children who call this village home. It was late at night, but that did not matter for this was a night to celebrate! To pr@ise our Father for declaring H1s gl0ry in a famine struck area! For Father’s faithful promise that He will always finish what He starts. It was a reminder of H1s faithful promises in Isaiah 41:17:

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them."

Drums were beating, women were screaming, singing and dancing while the men stood back smiling, knowing that tomorrow they will have food to eat, that they now have food for their families! Gathered in the public area, we watched as the women danced to the sound of drums, with their hand opened wide reaching towards the sky. As the celebration was ending, we returned to our compound getting ready for bed as…well we heard the most beautiful sound of all! 

“Who brought millet, who brought corn, who brought peanuts….J.S.S DID!” 

As my head finally hit the pillow, a smile crossed my face for as it says in Psalm 115:1: 

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Food for the Hungry

A team of 10 headed to the d3sert v!llage of Motown to distribute food to a people where no rain and the lack of harvest have created a famine. They are a people different from any I have ever visited and spent time with here in our country. They are a people I have heard about but know very little about culturally. I love to learn about new cultures, experience them, and seek to understand them better. With great joy I chose my traditional dress and prepared it for our arrival. I was extra excited that it was orange and purple...two of my favorite colors. With great anticipation and excitement both over the incredible opportunity to demonstrate the GREAT love and compassion of our G0d and to get to know these people in a more real and personal way, we began our journey.

The plan was to arrive with 2 truckloads of corn, millet, and peanuts and distribute them the next day. As God would have it, His plan is different from ours! You just have to smile when you even begin the journey of serving Him...knowing you must be prepared to EXPECT the UNEXPECTED!! This opportunity was no different. The unexpected happened... One truck arrived ahead of our team even after getting stuck in the sand. The other was delayed for various reasons, and then when it got to the turn off for the village, the driver decided he was not driving his 18 wheeler loaded with grain from the paved road through the desert road to the village. We spent a day waiting on another truck--a dump truck-- to come transfer the grain and carry it the rest of the way. The food arrived in the dark and we unloaded it...In the meantime, a list of families and the number of people in each one was compiled. We were ready to distribute grain the next morning!!

The people welcomed us with a GREAT celebration!! ALL of the village came out to meet us, to escort us into the v!llage, and to share a traditional dance with us!! The men walked in front of our trucks as we drove into the v!llage while the women walked beside us and greeted us!!

During our time of refuge in S3neg@l, everyday we were crying out to our Father on behalf of the people in M@li who were struggling to survive without food. Before we had to leave, this food distribution project as well as the Gift of Grain Project were all in the planning stages. We knew that our G0d had provided and had begun an important work among these people groups to demonstrate Himself, His love, and His provision. We asked Him to finish what He started. Today we celebrate His Faithfulness!! 

"The L0rd always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does. The L0rd helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The L0rd is righteous in everything He does, He is filled with kindness."

 Psalm 145:13-17

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G0d's Timing

What was supposed to be a 5 day trip turned into a 12 day journey?  Our white person’s efficient, timely village trip turned into an African’s relational, no need to rush journey! Trucks broke down; drivers refused to travel in the bush, a normal 10 hour drive to a village took 2 days….minds were spinning with logistical nightmares as our white persons’ deadline could not be reached! When we told other colleagues that we would be returning to B@mako on Friday, we forgot to mention which Friday we would arrive on! One week later from our proposed time of arrival in B@mako, we made it back to our homes. 

 While some people say “It’s Africa”, our eyes turned to our Father who orchestrates all details. The one who allows trucks to be broken down, the one who allows blimps in our plans, the one who gives us 7 more days to declare H1s glory among the people of M@li, the one who knows all things at all times! 

After sitting for a month in S3n3gal with our minds filled with some many uncertainties…such as “will we ever get the chance to go back”, “how long do we wait in S3n3gal”, “will we have the opportunity to be servants for Father in M@li again”, and “will we ever see our friends again.”   Father answered our pr@yers and gave us an opportunity to work in a different area, among different people, with different friends to spread H1s light among this nation. 

L0ri and I travelled with friends to work in two different villages and help in their food distributions. We pr@ised Father for giving us this time to be a light in a dark place; to declare H1s glory by telling H1s stories with the people and to be H1s hands and feet to give out food to the hungry in H1s glorious name!

Our trip was exciting from the beginning to the end! Filled with H1s joy and strength to be H1s servants!  However there was one lesson that was loud and clear from our Father…..EVERYTHING IS ON MY TIME!

Is@iah 46:9-10 says:

“For I alone am G0d! I am G0d and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” 

From the very beginning, Father showed us that it is in H1s timing that we would pass out the food to H1s people. Instead of running into and out of the village, Father slowed our time to be with the people. And Father did slow our time down in undoubting ways. In a quick glance I will summarize the ways Father demonstrated that everything is on H1s time!

Round 1 (Village 1)

• ·         The 2^nd truck that needed to arrive in our first village broke down, not once, not twice, but yes three times on good roads.

• ·         2 days later the truck finally arrived to the place where you get off the good road and onto the donkey paths, at this point the driver refused to take his truck off the good road.

• ·         Now, we had to find yet another truck…. waiting a whole day for this other truck to come and transfer the grain to another truck, the grain finally arrived that night. 

 After being in the village for 2 more days than expected, Father showed us H1s timing on passing out the food to H1s people. The next morning we had the joy of watching the men of the village show up and wait their turn (some for hours) to get their bags of grain. With smiles on their faces…they went home to their families. 

After accomplishing giving out the grain in the first village, as white people thinking in being efficient…we felt that we could still possible make our deadline to make it back to B@m@ko! And may I say that Father politely said NO!

                         Round 2 (Village 2)

• ·         2 trucks went Missing in Action without us knowing there true whereabouts for 2 days

• ·         Few people came to help carry the bags on grain (weighing 220 lbs/bag) each day

• ·         3 different foods to hand out, divide and deliver

With triple the people in this village, we had more food to hand out, more people to visit with which equals into spending 3 more days than expected!  

Even though our trip was longer than expected…it was a great pleasure to be among the people again, to hand out food to families that had nothing, to share stories of J.s.s and spread the truth of our Father. At the end of our time, I know I was pr@ising Father for as Is@i@h 26:8 says: “Our heart’s desire is to glorify your name” 

My heart’s desire is to glorify H!s name among these people in M@li!

A Surprise Return

Due to s3cur!ty, we left our place of refuge in S3neg@l to return to the land and the people to whom our Father called us without letting any of them know we were on our way home. We knew nothing about what the journey would be like, how long it would take us, or exactly when we would arrive at out homes. Only our Father truly knew what the journey held for us...it was an adventure. We did end up spending a couple of extra days at our second destination.
After arriving at our home, we called our friend O to talk with her and see what she was doing. She was doing her normal things--selling peanuts in the market. She told us she would be working peanuts in the late afternoon and that she would not be going to the market the next morning. She would be working peanuts at home. OUr conversation ended with me saying. "K'an ben, sooooni." That means "See you soon!!" At first my heart was anxious to go see her and work peanuts with her that afternoon. I knew that it was not a possibility. I asked Father to give me patience and wait on His timing to see her and let her know we had arrived at home.
The next morning I called and still did not reveal that we were home. Just called to make sure she was home and working peanuts like she said she would be. She was, so again I ended the conversation with "K'an ben soooooni!!" This time I knew it would be much sooner than she was expecting..actually she wasn't expecting it at all!! That was the fun part.
C@therine and I got ready and headed to our friends house to surprise her and work peanuts. It was fun as we took a taxi, walked up her street and quietly entered her compound. As is custom, we walked in and greeted saying, "I ni sogoma!" ("Good morning!") After a moment of shock and uncertainty about what was happening, our friend stood up, greeted us, and welcomed us home. Truly it was later in the day that she really realized we were home and we were at her house. I'm not certain what she had been thinking or if she thought we would ever be back. For weeks we had been ending our conversations with  "K'an ben sooooni!" But this time it was real and our Father had kept His promise:

"What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.

 One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you." 

Genesis 28:15

Gifts from My Creator

My birthday month was filled with gifts from the One who knows me best!! Things that make my heart smile, things that assure me of His love for me, and things that reflect the intimacy of a relationship with the One who created me! He filled my days with glimpses of Himself and the reality that we walk together in this garden called life.


The beach has always been an integral part of my walk with G0d. From as far back as I can remember, the beach and all of the beauties that fill the ocean have been a part of my world. My parents took us to the beach every year and sometimes more than once. It was a place of peace, serenity, joy, excitement, and exploration. It held the promise of sweet memories of family and friends as well as a clear understanding that there was a G0d bigger than I could imagine.

It was at the beach that I surrendered my whole life to the One who loves me and gave His life for me. He took my heart that night on the beach and has held it close every since...never leaving me, never giving up on me. My life was no longer mine...it is HIS. He meets me there every time. Whether on the Eastern Seaboard of the USA, the west coast or southern coast of Afr!ca, the shores of the Hawaiian islands, or the rocky shores of Korea, the Lover of my Soul walks with me there.

From the waves crashing on the shore to all kinds of seashells, there is a display of the greatness of my G0d. From the puffer fish to the sea anemones under the surface of the salty water a whole different world awaits our curious souls. The vastness of the One who made us can only be known as we stop... taking in the beauty of all that lives around us, taking a walk with Him, and allowing Him to open our eyes to the details of every day.

HIgher Thoughts

 Before the coup d'etat in M@li, I was planning my vacation. I had some frequent flyer miles that HAD to be used by a certain date. My heart's desire was to go to the beach somewhere. There was only one place I could fly to from M@li using my miles--Kenya. Sounds like a great place to visit...I have never been there. After checking into it, I discovered there is a good beach with snorkeling and lots of other great things to experience. As I planned, it looked like I would have to take that trip alone. Not my first choice, but my only choice. 

Well the coup d'etat happened and I was unable to make my plans in time to use my frequent flyer miles. My Daddy G0d had higher plans for me. Just as His Word says, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine," His thoughts were way beyond what I had thought of for my birthday vacation. He used the difficulties in M@li to place me in a neighboring country for one month...a country on the west coast of Afr!ca...yes and a town on the coast. 

On my second day in D@kar, some friends were showing us around and helping us know about all the places we would need for our time there. On that little tour, I spotted a lighthouse sitting in the distance ...in the middle of the ocean. At that moment, I said to myself..."One day, I want to go out to that lighthouse and see it up close and personal." The longer we stayed in D@kar and the more work G0d did in my sp!r!t about all that was going on in M@li, the more He opened my eyes to His higher thoughts and ways. He had a better plan for my birthday vacation...He placed me near the beach, He surrounded me with lots of people instead of being alone, and He provided me with lots of new experiences to bring joy and reminders of His Faithful Presence in difficult times. 

There were several birthday adventures while I was in D@kar. One was the bucket list event of finding a way out to the little lighthouse in the ocean. Some of my new friends and old friends took a little boat into the big ocean to take an up close personal look at the little lighthouse. It was a blast with only a couple of us experiencing greenness around the gills. The water was a little choppy that day because the wind was blowing. It was a fun journey...one I will never forget! The anticipation of seeing the little lighthouse filled me with joy as we got closer and closer. It just reminded me of the importance of us returning to M@li and her people. Right now, the times are turbulent and the country is on the verge of great disaster. Christ and His people stand as a light in the darkness to guide the way. G0d filled my Sp!r!t with f@ith and courage as I spent those few moments staring closely at that little lighthouse. My heart filled with resolve to follow Him and finish what He has begun in M@li.

 

More birthday fun took place as a group of us spent the day at AcroBaobab Adventure. It is an adventure park among a Baobab tree forest where you exsperience the challenges of a high ropes course. I have to say I believe this is the best high ropes course in the world. Each challenge presented its own fears to overcome!! It was a time to face and overcome obstacles that could either hinder your progress or sending you soaring to new heights. I love these kinds of challenges because life is full of them. When you face them, you know what is truly deep inside of you. I knew that the choice to return to M@li during these turbulent times was going to take a f@ith and a dependence on G0d like never before. This day at the park was a day where G0d and I continued to work out the f@ith and courage and dependence I was going to need to soar with HIM to new heights in my f@ith journey. It was a day to confess that I cannot do this life alone...He is everything I need!! 

So I stepped off that last platform to zipline to the ground knowing that I am not alone... knowing that He has called me... knowing that He is the One who holds me up!  Complete abandon to the ONE in whom I believe... Complete trust in the ONE for whom I live!!

Unexpected Birthday Celebrations

After spending over a month as a refugee of M@li in S3neg@l awaiting the open door to return, we began the journey back to the country and the people we love. We had to spend a few extra days at our second destination. During that time, my actual birthday arrived. I had used some of my time in S3neg@l to celebrate my birthday because I was in a new place and had the opportunity to see and do some things I may never have a chance to do.  So I had begun my "birthday month celebrations" in April.
 

 As only G0d can do, He had me in another new place with new opportunities for my birthday. At breakfast, we decided we would spend the day exploring the area and experience the beauty of G0d's creation. My birthday celebration included a day of hippo hunting and enjoying some of the most beautiful waterfalls in M@li.

  

With new friends and old friends, I celebrated my special day in unexpected ways...ways filled with fun, joy, and the incredible greatness of my G0d. I basked in the serenity and peace of following Him and walking WITH Him even though there may be turbulence all around. We didn't actually get to see hippos but the hunt along the S3neg@l river was worth the looking!!