Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Happy Birthday MOMMY!

I wish I could be there to celebrate this special day with you. I want you to know I am thinking of you today and pray that everyone around you loves on you for me.

You are a great mom, the best. I would not be half-way across the world without the love and encouragement you have always given me! You have made me a courageous and faithful follower of Christ.

Thank you for always being there for me…through tough times with friends, guys, school and work. You will always be my favorite mom and my closest friend.

I LOVE YOU!

Monday, December 18, 2006

The Beauty of a Sunset

For security reasons I am going to be vague...

Five women--young and single--work in the number one least livable (hardest to live) country in the world and they are leading Muslim men and women to Christ. In the last three months more than 50 villagers have become believers. God is good.

One team (of two young women) live in a two bedroom house with their bathroom outside as a hole in the ground. Another team has to four-wheel drive the entire way to their villages because of the deep desert sand. These are young women my age and they are beautiful, faithful and excited about what God is doing among their people group.

Many people have said it will take 8 years once a Muslim has heard about Christ to believe much less hearing about Him from a woman. These girls are seeing God move, He is saying it is His time among this people group. The first story of Jesus was told three months ago, three weeks later 25 believed. One week after 7 came to Christ.

I was able to spend a week with these girls visiting four villages, encouraging them and the new believers. What a blessing for me.

I also spent time with a Texas church who has adopted 48 villages to tell about Jesus. Amazing! One chief walked them outside his hut and showed them land he set aside for them to come back to stay while they taught the village about Jesus. He said, "We are tired of the Muslim faith, come teach us. Look at all the land that can be the church. That is all yours if you want it."

God has renewed me in my work this last month. He has shown me He will be worshiped and glorified by all peoples.

I saw Him in the beautiful smile of the Chief who couldn't wait to hear another story of Jesus from two young women, in the hope of a church to reach 48 villages and in the beauty of a sunset.

Pictures from some of my adventures





This is the desert meeting a large river. The river does not give life very far from it's shore. It was beautiful seeing the quick transition from delta to desert!









This is called Harmatten (the dry, dusty season caused by winds from the Sahara picking up sand and blowing it south). If you look hard enough you can see a camel! During Harmatten nights can get to around 40 degress and days can still be over 100 degress. I froze at night!







I got to take a one cow draw cart for Christmas caroling in the desert! It snowed dust! Two other journeyman and myself went to encourage believers outside of the village and sang Christmas songs for our hour long ride back to the village. The locals looked at us kinda funny! We had a blast getting our selves into the Christmas spirit.