Hello everyone!
I can't even express how much my spirit is bursting out here in the nations. I'm so in love with Jesus. I spent the last month in Ethiopia without internet access.. so please forgive me for not being able to update you.
Africa stole every piece of my heart. It was stunning. Breathtaking. Like a dream. As my plane came near landing in the beginning of December, I could see wild camels in the distance and almost choked myself with excitement! I knew then that this would be an adventure to change my life as well as the lives of many others.
The flat sandy deserts are speckled with deep green bushes and tall trees with flat tops swaying in the dry, hot breeze. Every night I was lulled to sleep by the yelping of hyenas and the angry barks of responding stray dogs. Actually, I even fed these fiercely ugly and wild beasts raw meet from a short stick in my mouth! You truly are a God-adventurer when you feel the breath of hyenas upon your face!
The people though especially capture your heart. It only takes an instant and suddenly you realize that the very core of your bosom is no longer beating in your chest but out on the infested sidewalks, wrapped around the faces of the young and old. The eyes of the children open with enormous anticipation at the simple sight of your white face as they shout out all the English words they know all at once in hopes of gaining some sort of attention from their own personal celebrities. Every person you pass holds a special key that spins continuously within the lockets of your mind until all you can do is open doors of wonder deep within, the kind of doors that never close and make you forever abandoned to an eternal fascination of the people that are held within the very caverns and crevasses of the world.
The base in Ethiopia is truly pioneer. Samuel went alone from Sweden in August of 2008 to find a home and was soon met by 4 other SOS missionaries. Since then, in only four months, they are training up disciples in church meetings on Saturday and Sunday nights as well as in follow-up meetings during the week. Over 30 people have been baptized in water and many others in the Holy Spirit! During the week of Christmas, 5 young guys were saved and desired to be baptized the next day.. we had no water at our compound though, so many people spent the morning carrying jugs of "wuha" to our gate and we created a home-made baptismal out of tarp, benches and a few bricks! It's so fun to pioneer with Jesus and see lives changed! Our church in Harar, Ethiopia is called "Church of Joy" and it truly is.
The streets of Harar are filled with homeless people. Like I've never imagined. It was hard to hide my tears sometimes. Orphans run around and sleep in the middle of the sidewalks, naked cripples lie everywhere and others with deformed faces just sit all day begging. Many had brought their children up to me, asking that I take them home and give them a better life. I just kissed them and smiled and tried to be strong while every fiber of my being was desiring to grab them and run.
The best times for me happened when I was alone in my room with Jesus or out late at night starring at the diamond stars with my Best Friend. I'm truly on a honeymoon with God. I wouldn't trade this for anything. I even had the opportunity to preach for a women's group! I shared about who God is personally, our identity in Him and the power of our words. Hallelujah!
God did many deeps things within me while in Ethiopia. I can hardly breathe when I think about His kingdom sweeping through that land.
It's hard to sum up the events of an entire month in a foreign land for a simple blog. Please meet me with me when I come home and I'll spill all of my heart out for you... or you could just read my book :)
Now I'm in Thailand. The sun is hot, the flowers are riveting, the stronghold of Buddhism is thick, the people are breathtaking and the ground is fertile for God to do some mighty things! It's nice to be in familiar territory, this is my fourth time in Asia. I love you all so much and look forward to bringing these nations back home to you! Continue to pray for me. I'm dreaming up new things daily for the future and couldn't be where I am, experiencing all that I have without you.
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