High hopes and a God who delivers

Hola again!

Just time for a quick one this morning. Last night was spectacular! We went to a small rural community, set up speakers and a movie, and danced and played soccer and football and jump rope with kids and teens while their parents stood by and watched. Then an evangelist grabbed the microphone and preached (I only wish I could understand what he said) but I gather from the emotion that he led anyone who wanted to follow along in prayer and then must have asked who prayed for the Lordship of Jesus in their lives and a great number of little hands and big went up! Praise the Lord for the work He faithfully is doing here!

This morning in Sala (morning chapel) I had the privilege of sharing about freedom. It was a neat experience and I am thankful to have had the opportunity. If I were to sum up the message briefly it would be this: Like a kite is made to fly freely, so are we created to live freely. Oftentimes we think that freedom is being able to do anything we want. But just as often, the things we choose to do with our freedom cause us to be slaves to our sinful nature and its desires. To take our lives into our own hands is to be a kite that says “no” to its string. No I don’t want to be restriced, constrained, directed, or held back. But what happens to a kite without a string? It crashes. It does not fly as it is suppose to. The same string that restricts the kite is the only reason it can fly. To be firmly anchored and held close by Jesus isn’t stealing our freedom, it is actually the only way to experience it.

Of course the youth razzed me as I walked up with my air cast on my foot to the front calling out “break a leg”, but it didn’t phase me! And on that note, I have never been much of one to consider myself really full of faith in God’s healing power. I’d like to believe it more, but I suppose anytime I pray physical healing over someone I do battle doubts. Last night the boys prayed for my foot in our room. This morning, if I was to put a percentage on it, I would say it is 80% recovered. Yesterday I could not put an ounce of weight on it….today the swelling is down and I have to intentionally push myself to feel any pain. I feel my faith growing as my foot is healing rapidly, and I feel my foot healing rapidly as my faith in God’s ability to do so grows! It’s amazing! Thank you too for your prayers…God is faithful and he does hear us!

It’s off to snack time now…today is Scott’s 18th birthday, so any special prayers for that member of our team to be blessed today would be great. We’ve ordered a cake and will be celebrating at lunch time.

God is moving in our midst and as much fun as it is to share it with you this way, we cannot wait to be home and share in person the goodness of Jesus as we’ve experienced on this trip!
Blessings and peace to you!