Your Son and Daughter

The big wedding celebration did not end in B@m@k0!! What a privilege and joy it was to present D@n@ya and his bride R3bek@ to his mom and his v!llage!!

D@n@ya's mom and many from the v!llage were not able to attend the wedding because of the distance between the v!llage and the c@pital city. As we sat with his mom and watched her look at pictures, my heart filled with joy as I thought about the privilege we had of bringing the greatest gift to her...Her Son and Her Daughter!! What a sweet, sweet moment to watch her take in every picture, to enjoy her baby boy and the greatest event of his life...an event she said, "I did not know if this day would ever happen."

You see, D@n@ya's dad died when he was just a very, very young boy. He does not remember his dad at all. His mom was chased away from his father's family and she was own her own with 4 small children. By the grace of G0d and a faith that was unwavering, this woman and her 4 children thrived and were blessed by G0d. She said she didn't know if her children would survive and certainly didn't know if they would grow up to be married and begin families of their own. All of her children have a strong faith and are powerfully serving the kingdom of G0d here in M@li.

Again I found myself watching intimately, the cultural joys of weddings, the joining of lives, and the welcoming of new people into a family and a v!llage. I watched as women came to greet us each one saying the same thing, " D@n@ya went to the big city and threw me away for this new woman." It was one of the funniest things I have ever watched as these women--all OLDER women, all described as D@n@ya's grandmothers--came to meet and joke with his new wife. The funniest moment was when we were walking through the v!llage greeting and we met up with one of these "grandmothers". She looked at R3bek@ in the eyes and said to her, "Do you know THIS man? Do you know THIS man? He has 14 wives and  you are the 15th one!" We all burst into laughter as this grandmother looked at us with the most serious face. I watched all of these interactions and saw the grace and peace of G0d displayed in R3bek@ as she enjoyed the joking and participated in every way with these women who were claiming her husband as theirs and not hers. It was such a joy to see her join in with the v!llage and become a part of it with her husband by her side.

I spent the evening and the early morning hours thinking about what it must be like to be in R3bek@'s shoes. We drove 8 hours to get to the v!llage, we greeted and all of these women came to joke with her, and then after it was dark, she was expected to cook supper for her new family and all of us. I could not imagine the intimidation of that task--entering another woman's kitchen not knowing where everything is or what is expected. Then to awaken the next morning and be expected to cook every meal for the family--your new family.

I was amazed by the grace, the joy, the peace and the fun that R3bek@ was having. She displayed a great love for her new family and became a part of them in a way that only G0d could have done through her. I was equally amazed by D@n@ya and the way he walked beside his new bride and encouraged her, helped her, and cheered her on. It was evident they were in this together!!

A Beautiful Celebration

On January 25th, we celebrated the wedding and the joining of 2 lives for the gl0ry of G0d!! One of our M@lian partners, D@n@ya, got married to his beautiful bride, R3bek@. It was a celebration filled with joy, excitement, and hope for all that G0d has planned to do through the lives of His 2 children, D@n@ya and R3bek@.












It was my first time to be intimately involved in the planning and preparation of a M@lian wedding and what fun it was!! We helped get the loads of tomatoes, onions, cabbage, egg plant, and rice needed to feed all the guest. We loaded up the cow in the moto taxi to be taken to be slaughtered and prepared for cooking. The moto taxi delivered a cooler for the drinks, the sodas, ice, chairs, tents, and everything needed for the big event.









Then the day of the event, the church was packed with people until it was overflowing. Tents were set up outside for those who could not fit inside. There was much singing, celebrating, and sharing of G0d's word with those attending. Then a sweet, sweet ceremony where D@n@ya and R3bek@ united their lives, making commitments to each other before a crowd of witnesses that were moved and touched.








You see, many in attendance had never experienced a Christian wedding. They had never seen the joy and love expressed in this celebration and they had never understood G0d's plan for One Husband and One Wife...the uniting of 2 to become ONE! As they bowed together before G0d, uniting their previous 2 lives into ONE life for the Glory and purposes of G0d, EVERYONE was touched!!

 To finish off the day, we transported family members back to their gathering places where the celebration continued!! This is one of my favorite parts of wedding celebrations here...load up and declare the fun and celebration to the whole city....

When I asked my friends who had seen a Chr!sti@n wedding for the first time what part they liked the most, the response was unanimous...

• When they made their alliance, giving each other rings, and committing to each other to love in all things...whether there is money or not, whether there is health or not, whether there is good or bad...
• When they knelt together before G0d to surrender their lives as 2 to become 1...one husband, one wife...D@n@ya is now R3bek@ and R3bek@ is now D@n@ya, if one hurts the other hurts, if one rejoices the other rejoices!

With My Own Eyes and Ears

His F@ithfulness R@dio...the fruit of all that G0d had placed in my vision 8 years ago!!! It became a reality in 2013, but this year 2014, I saw it and heard it with my very own eyes and ears!! I have longed for and waited for this time to actually see and hear His F@ithfulness R@dio on the air and to stand beside those who serve their community through this work.What a joy it was to peer in the doorways to see it in full operation.


On that first trip to the village 8 years ago, my friend, R!ta, and I were traveling to a remote part of M to see what G0d was doing among 3 different people groups. We were doing the study Bel!eving G0d together as we traveled. In that study the writer asked the participants to place a blue string around their wrist to remind them of the 5 statements of beli!eving G0d. We looked in the markets that day but could find no blue string. but G0d had a more lasting plan for providing us with a reminder.

Along that journey we saw this incredibly beautiful bluebird. One like I had never seen and one like I have never seen since. Every day as we journeyed to the village and while we were in the village, we saw this bluebird. It became our Bluebird of Bel!ef. To this very day, on every trip to the village and during every stay in the village, this Bluebird of Bel!ef has gone before us and flown beside us all along the way. Even when it was evident that our work was moving to the city because of the trouble in the n0rth, G0d brought this Bluebird across my path to show me He was indeed going before me and preparing the way for this change. This 2014 journey back to the village was no different. On the first morning when I woke up after staying the night in the r@dio station, I went outside to spend time with G0d. I looked up and there sat the bluebird on the tower watching the station. Pr@ise filled my heart and joy consumed me as I experienced once again the very REAL and PERSONAL Presence our our G0d affirming His work, His plans, His purposes!


I had fun looking at all the equipment and seeing how it all works to proclaim the G00d News of Jss throughout this remote area. The workers told me of how the children would come every Saturday morning to be on the r@dio. They would each have a chance to greet their parents and their friends on the r@dio. This is just one of the many creative ways the r@dio is making itself a part of the community.



On Sundays, the whole day is dedicated to Chr!st and making Him known through music, G0d's W0rd, and other Chr!sti@n programs.

After spending a couple of nights at the r@dio station, we headed to the P@n@ v!llage. The chief told us how he listened to the radio every day and how he no longer listens to anything else except His F@ithfulness R@dio!! It was a double blessing to be able to personally sit and listen to His F@ithfulness R@dio while we were there!! While we were eating or while we were just sitting around visiting, the r@dio was playing ...just like it was playing in compounds all over the 80 kilometer radius to which it was broadcassting!! Fullness of Joy!!!!

The Year to Return...2014

Two years since I have been to the villages and the peoples to whom G0d sent us... two years pr@ying for their protection through the difficulties their country faced... two years believing G0d to be the S0verign L0rd over all things, all situations, all peoples... two years knowing He loved them and was with them more than I could ever imagine!!





 

2014--the year to return... the year to see what G0d has been doing... the year to rejoice in HIS F@ITHFULNESS!! I cannot express to G0d how grateful I am for the opportunity to go back and see those I have missed so much!

For me and for my heart, it was a full circle experience. I was with all the people who began this journey with me.  I was seeing the lives of those He had changed as we w0rshipped together. Where there was once only one f0ll0wer choosing to live the hard life of Chr!st in front of those in his v!llage, there were now close to 20 worshiping together. We spent the day talking about G0d's Word and looking at how to live that out in the culture of !dol w0rship.

It was a great discussion and the levels of f@ith were evident as we struggled through what f0ll0wing Chr!st looks like as a P@n@ f0ll0wer.

A favorite moment was when the f0ll0wers wanted to sing a song where they had changed the words into their own language. To see their response to that...instantaneous dancing and praising G0d in ways they can only do in their heart language!! What a joy to witness!!

A hard moment for me was the news that one of my precious friends I would sit with under the tree and learn language with had passed away 2 months before our arrival. She died giving birth to her 5th child. The child also died. My heart was and is still heavy for her husband and the 4 children she left behind. As we sat with her husband, he expressed his emotions in ways that are rarely seen here. Please lift him up to our Father and ask Him to comfort and bring salvation to this man and his whole household.

He Shall Be Called

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine...

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: 

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...

Isaiah 9:2, 6

"And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21
"...and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:23

Greetings to YOU ALL and Merry Christmas!!!!

Like many of you these past few days and weeks have been full of activity and experiencing the joys of this season!! In M@li, our weather has changed drastically with morning temperatures in the 50's and the afternoons in the 80's. I spend each morning in my favorite spot--meeting with my Savior by a little fire to heat up some water for hot chocolate and keep my toes warm. These days are always number and can never last long enough...of the joy of the cool mornings with my Best Friend, Immanue!! I pr@y you are having precious moments with Jss these days and that your time with family and friends will be full of the Light He brings to life!! Know that I am thinking of you and giving thanks for the joys you have brought to my life!!

As always, I have spent time thinking about Chr!stmas and what it has meant for me. I have considered what this baby and His purpose in life, death, and r3surrection has meant for me. I have pondered how to express my love for Him to those around me. This all began while sitting at a Baby Naming ceremony for a friend's grandchild. As I took in all the cultural things they do here to present a child to its family, friends, and the world, I began to think about how Jss was presented.

Even before the creation of the world, our Father knew His Son would be sent to us and all throughout the history of mankind, our Father was preparing for the presentation of His Son to the world. All things that happened were orchestrated and put together so that we as His special creation would recognize the gift of His Son and the S@lvation that He would bring to us. Even before He was born, His names were being spoken. they were being given, so that when He was presented to His family, friends, and the world, they would recognize Him. He will be called:

WONDERFUL

COUNSELOR

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

MIGHTY

GOD

MIGHTY GOD

EVERLASTING

FATHER

EVERLASTING FATHER

PRINCE

PEACE

PRINCE OF PEACE

JESUS

IMMANUEL

GOD WITH US

These were just some of the names He was called before He was born and they are only a drop in the ocean of names we have come to know Him by after His birth. He is so much, so much, so much more than words or names can describe!! What do you call him? Take time to call Him by name and to express to Him who He is to you...after all we are celebrating His baby naming celebration and G0d's presentation of HIS SON to us and to the WORLD!!

Please pr@y for those living in darkness!! May they see the GREAT LIGHT and may JSS--that LIGHT shine on them this Chr!stmas!!

i love you all!! May G0d fill you will JOY, HOPE, PEACE, LOVE, and HIS PRESENCE as you spend time with family and friends this CHR!STmas!!

Beginning from V!llage to V!llage

"One day Jss called together his twelve d!scipl3s and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the K!ngd0m of G0d and to heal the sick..." Luke 9:1-2

"The L0rd now chose seventy-two other d!scipl3s and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit. These were His instructions to them, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pr@y to the L0rd who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves." Luke 10:1-3

 Yesterday I drove 3 young men  to the village of Da and left them with the chief of the village and another man. As I left the village I cried and gave thanks to G0d for His grace and mercy, His call and His f@ithfulness!! I sang pr@ises to Him at the top of my lungs!! 

You see, the three young men (our first Harvest Team) I dropped off had been chosen by G0d to spend the next 3 days in this village--sharing the Words and life of Jss with the people there. They are 3 young men from 3 different ch.rches in B@mak0 who desire to spend some time with people they do not know in order  to share with them the ONE they DO know. As Jss sent His 12 d!scipl3s, the 72 d!scipl3s, He is now sending these 3 young men. They are D@n, B3n, Yu5. 

G0d had placed the village of Da on the heart of D@n and about 3 weeks ago sent D@n with a couple of friends to see the village, meet the chief, and look for how G0d might be working. The chief welcomed him with open arms, told him he would have a place to stay, and said he looked forward to time with him. D@n also met one Chr!sti@n woman and a man who had just become a b3li3ver. He saw that they had no one to help them grow or w0rship with them. He came home excited and looking for the next step with G0d to go to this village. 

After our arrival yesterday, we went straight to the chief's house where he changed my last name to Doumbia...smile. He welcomed us and explained with whom and where the three men would stay. The man was there with us, so he took them to his house and we unloaded them there. He wanted his picture made with them beside the house they would be staying in. Then he went into his house and brought out a laminated piece of paper. We looked at it and it was his certificate of baptism. He was so excited about it. When I read it all, I saw the date on it. This man had just been baptized November 17, 2013. He too was a new f0ll0wer.

Pr@y for them as they spend time with the chief, with the f0ll0wers of Jss in the village, and as they share with other the G00d News of the K!ngdom of G0d. They plan to have a time of w0rship with the f0ll0wers there as well as anyone else who would join them. Pr@y for G0d to pour out His Sp!r!t empowering these three men to accomplish His purposes as well as empowering the people He is drawing to Himself to b3li3ve. Pr@y for them as they learn and seek to know how we can develop and move forward with sending teams into the harvest from V!llage to V!llage.

Devouring of another kind

Greetings friends who bow with me...

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of G0d, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to G0d, for He cares about you. 

Stay Alert! Watch our for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your f@ith. Remember that your Chr!sti@n brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 

In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal gl0ry by means of Chr!st J.s.s. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-11

These verses have become the theme for my time here in M since my return in July. I continue to go back to them for strength on what seems to be a regular basis these days. I guess you can say the honeymoon is over and now we are into the real day to day of discipleship, growing, learning, humbling ourselves, and giving all of our concerns to G0d for He cares for us. Daily I find myself preparing for the enemy and watching for him...knowing there will be pain, struggle, and sometimes even destruction. 

While all this hurt and struggle is going on and there are days I just want to run, I want you to know that your prayers and my f@ith in the One who has called me remain the things that give me what I need daily to stand firm and strong...to seek G0d's perspective ...not the perspective of my own selfishness, my own hurt, my own anything. Truly this work G0d calls us to do has nothing to do with us but everything to do with Him and His perspective and His purposes. 

I am learning the truths that we suffer, but He restores! We suffer, yet He supports! We suffer, HE STRENGTHENS! We suffer, and HE puts us on a FIRM foundation!! ALL POWER TO HIM FOREVER!!

Please pr@y these verses over us as often as G0d brings it to your mind!! Please pr@y for 0 and S0 as they are being taunted, tortured, and occasionally devoured bit by bit by the enemy. Our enemy is not happy with their interest and their pursuit of Jss. I ask you to especially pr@y for 0 as she is in a battle from many different sides. I have struggled to understand where she truly stands with G0d and I'm so glad G0d continues to remind me that it is not my job to know where someone stands with Him....it is my job to be His light in the darkness, to be His Presence to love, care for, and demonstrate His righteousness in my own life. I plead with you to pr@y earnestly for 0 as she is torn and twisted from so many directions...home, work, friends, family. It is not easy being the friend of a white person here and even less easy to be a f0ll0wer of Jss along with it. My heart breaks for her, yet I know that truly G0d alone can help her, can reveal truth to her, can RESTORE, SUPPORT, STRENGTHEN, AND PUR HER ON A FIRM FOUNDATION!! Those are the things I pr@y for her...and S0...

Will you join me?