Hello everyone,
We have just returned from the island last night and the group is doing very
good!!!
It has been a trip beyond trips and it is so unbelievable what we have
experienced....starting with Stephanie arriving into Tanzania without a
problem.....we were told by the passport office in Willmar that she would
never get out of Mpls. because of her passport picture that was coming apart
and they were very alarmed that we would even try. God is faithful, there
was no question asked the entire trip and we know she will get home the same
way... thru a miracle. Thanks for your prayers!!!!!
Our trip to the island was so exciting. We starting with a bus ride that
lasted about 6 hours - a public bus on very rough roads and no stops for
bathroom breaks. We were all pretty tired and aching when we arrived to the
port where we would be taking a boat 3 hours to Maisome Island and everyone
was in good spirits and still smiling and praising God - but when I saw the
boat that we were going to take, I could hardly believe my eyes....it was
NOT what I was expecting. I was expecting a ferry, but this was a very old
and small boat and to get in the boat you had to climb a tall ladder -
Everyone else did much better than me....I don't like heights - I climbed
the ladder 3 times before I could get the nerve to go to the top and swing
my foot into the boat - (I did it, but with alot of help of course from
others hanging on to me. It was unbelievable and we sat on wooden benches -
it was really exciting being we had never experience this before until I saw
the water coming into the bottom of the boat...we starting praying!!! God is
faithful. When we got to the island, we were welcomed by many who were
singing songs of praise as we got off the boat. We were taken to a little
quest house and were met with bats and rats in our rooms. We took authority
over these things and plead the blood and for the most part sleep well the
next 4 nights. Thank you Jesus for the Blood!!!!! Not one curse could touch
out group - we have received greater revelation of the blood.
Thank you for your prayers - we have felt them as we battled many things
including witchcraft in the spirit, but we seen victory and the fruit was
so great. We were the first white people to preach on the island and it was
such a priviledge. The conference was packed out with people standing
around the church everyday because there was no room in the church. The
church was so hungry and so excited that we had come. We have heard reports
that many many said that they will never be the same. The pastor of the
church is under our ministry - His name is Pastor James and he is an
ex-witchdoctor that is so totally sold out to God. His church has grown to
about 250 from 30 people when I met him 4 years ago at the first conference
that I did with a team. We had a divine appointmnet on that island and we
are definitely going back next year.
The open- air meetings have been powerful on the island. There were over
400 people saved. The exciting thing is when the power of God was so strong
at the conference and the Sunday church service that people walked up front
without an invititation. Revival fires are truly burning on this island - I
love to go where no one else goes - What a priviledge it was, yes!! the
living conditions for us while on the island was such a little price in
comparison to the souls that were saved and so many healings, such as eye
sight being restored and deaf ears being opened and so much more. This
island will trully never be the same!!!
We took a 12 hour ferry ride going home - It was really easy in comparison
to the way we went to the island. The only hard part was the way we left
the ferry. Because we didn't want to wait until they unloaded the ferry
from the cargo that was on it, which would of taken another hour, we had to
walk on top of bags of fish that were stacked up more than 2 stories high. I
couldn't look down, my legs were shaking - Lake Victoria was on the
immediate left and cows were down below on the immediate right with the
largest horns I have ever seen. God's grace is sufficient - we have seen
that He is faithful and when we do what we never thought we could do, we can
do it because we trust Him and look into his face.
The team is wonderful - there has been unity from day one and each one is
being changed and touched and being used in ways they never believed
possible.
Thank you so much for all your prayers.....we couldn't do it without you!!!
Prayer is so necessary. You are part of all that God does while we are here
in Tanzania and Rwanda.
Continue to pray, we are looking for land tomorrow for the orphanage, radio
station, etc. We also start the Pastor's conference in Mwanza tomorrow
which will go thru Friday and we will be starting the open-air in Mwanza
Thursday thru Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment