- The Exponential gatherings created new vision.
- Brenda´s health is stable but do continue to pray.
- Pray for the Lausanne Spain gathering this weekend.
- Pray for the Local church as we select several new elders, deacons, etc. Dec. 12
- Pray for the 30 Maasai girls at the rescue center and the staff that cares for them. Extra food is needed for December.
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Click on picture for details or use QR
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Give a copy of Dad´s book
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Enslaved three times...
(A long-ish story but worth taking the time to read.)
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The Sunday worship service was ending and I made the usual simple invitation for those who wanted to pray to come forward. As the rest of the congregation moved toward the back door to enter a new week, a young man was ushered against the flow toward me by a fellow missionary. Little did I know, that going against the flow was what he had been doing for the past 2 years. As a young Christian man, Michael had seen no future for himself in his own country of Nigeria, which is rated at the top-of-the-list as the country where the largest number of Christians are being persecuted. As he took the last few steps before we could greet each other, a quick glance at him made me think: refugee, Nigerian, no papers and is desperate for any kind of help. “O Lord, help me to know how I can extend your hand to him through my hands” I prayed. I knew about God´s instruction to us regarding foreigners, but somehow my world and his felt to be disconnected, yet he was talking to me in perfect English-- a legacy from the dark chapter of colonialism. I, like many, have been led to look away from our common dark history. “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them. Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:33) I was glad to have one of my fellow elders join us. “Maybe he will know what to do," I thought. As Michael began to tell us his story of how he traveled overland from Nigeria, through Libya and then on a rubber raft to Italy and finally on to Spain, we began to feel his pain and the sustaining hand of God shining on him all along the way. He told us of the hunger and thirst he had to endure while he existed in a pit with hundreds of others who had been enslaved for months by those asking for ransom money from relatives. The pain in our hearts was relieved as he related his joy of miraculously escaping but only to have been enslaved again, escaped, and then repeated again a third time. When those around him would ask, "Michael, why are you so positive?" He would respond, “this is not my final destination.” God provided benevolent, caring people along the way to nurse him back to health but nothing would have been sufficient to prepare him to witness the death of over 100 fellow migrants swallowed by the Mediterranean Sea while crossing on a crudely made rubber raft. He knew God´s hand was with him because he was one of the 30 who actually landed on European soil. We felt the weight of the thousands of perilous miles he had traveled on our shoulders. Had the Lord led him to us? My fellow elder and I found ourselves on our knees followed by Michael. Together we thanked God for his leading and protection. Together we asked God to provide the needed legal status so that Michael can work and fulfill his dreams in freedom and in peace. Are we the final destination for him? Did God send him to us to bring us faith and encouragement? This is the text message I got from him today.
“I belong in the Kingdom of light, a royal and glorious Kingdom of supermen, where sin, sickness, disease, depression, poverty, frustrations and everything associated with Satan and darkness are alien. I shine and reign gloriously by grace, through righteousness. My journey in life is upward and forward, to please the Lord in all things. Hallelujah!!!”
- What relationship do you think we should build with Michael?
- What actions do you think we should take to help and encourage him?
- Please write us with your God inspired suggestions. Click on the link below to let us know your thoughts.
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