I wanted to connect again with all of you and relay some things the Lord is doing in my life, to give you an update.
I've become a family member of my church here in Winnipeg over the last year at Harvest Family Church. I've been teaching Sunday school with the 6 - 12 year olds and absolutely loving it! It has been such a rewarding experience that has only helped me grow in the gifts God has given me and in giving them away! It's such a joy! I love it!! I am also growing in my sense of belonging in the church family in which God has placed me. I am part of small groups, prayer meetings, eating together, doing pot-lucks, and doing outreach into the communities. Learning to love others when it hurts has been another milestone.
The Lord has also faithfully and miraculously provided full-time work. I've been working in the world of finance all year and have often found myself praying into the blessings God wants to pour out into Winnipeg and Canada as a nation. It's such a joy to pray for the things that are on God's heart! There is nothing more rewarding!
I have also prayed for people at my workplace and one lady instantly saw a miracle in her body! I was sure to tell her that it was the power of Jesus. I tell people about the miracles I saw in Africa because it builds their faith, and then I offer to pray for them. Miracles are happening in normal day life here in Winnipeg. It is the God who is our Father, the Holy Spirit who is close to us and longs to reveal His love to us. And if we know this, there is nothing that can stop us.
On a personal note, I have experienced extreme amounts of breakthrough from past bondage that the Lord had been wanting to take me through! Hallelujah! I really am a different person.
I can't get tired of celebrating the freedom I have in Jesus, what it feels like to live without being afraid all the time. And to top it all off, I am noticing more and more how I'm not only free but also living in joy and power. It's wonderful to enjoy the new person I am and to live life for the first time! Thank you Jesus!! He gives us the power to receive His love and to grow in the knowledge of Him.
A Bible verse that has been going through my mind a lot lately is found in Philippians 4:13
"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
may my faith say Yes, Jesus, you are able to take me anywhere and do anything
And my prayer is that my character will continue to grow in the knowledge of God and that I will continue to bear witness to Him everywhere I go, in my workplace, with friends and family...
Lord I ask that your Peace be with everyone who reads this
Monday, May 13, 2013
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Time for another update-
I've been thinking about where I'm at and where I'm going. I've moved in with a family here in Winnipeg. It's been a blessing getting to know them and share in a bit of their lives. I've been in Winnipeg for about two months, connecting with old friends, spending lots of time with God, and chillaxing most of the time. Nothing too extraordinary has happened that I could tell you of, no further adventures planned or any other news. But I've been praying and reflecting. It seems that I'm in a transition zone, it's an uncomfortable place to be in a way. I came to Winnipeg on the word of the Lord, believing that He has me here for a short time and for a specific purpose. I'm still trying to find out what that purpose is and trusting God will guide me.
Meanwhile, I've connected with some business leaders in the city who run an organization that hires intercessors to pray for the marketplace in the city. I am now part of their team. I'm growing in my prayer muscle, daily dedicating time faithfully and growing in my knowledge of the Word.
I've also received an invitation from a friend to do the School of Frontier Missions in Mombasa soon. I am waiting on God for direction. Please pray with me that He will open up the next season in time. I have a heart for children since I went to YWAM and especially Africa. I am praying for Him to show me where He is taking me next.
I am also looking for steady income right now, trying to catch up with bills that have to be paid and getting out of debt. It's not exactly what I wanted to come out of the most amazing experience of my life, living with my YWAM family which was a culture of revival and close knit community, and being plunged into North American suburbia lifestyle, without knowing my purpose here. But I know that God's ways are higher than mine, and so I've committed to trusting Him and always being thankful for everything even the stuff that doesn't make sense to me.
thanks so much for reading...
may you be blessed with Christ's riches in every way and may He reveal Himself to you in greater measures.
I've been thinking about where I'm at and where I'm going. I've moved in with a family here in Winnipeg. It's been a blessing getting to know them and share in a bit of their lives. I've been in Winnipeg for about two months, connecting with old friends, spending lots of time with God, and chillaxing most of the time. Nothing too extraordinary has happened that I could tell you of, no further adventures planned or any other news. But I've been praying and reflecting. It seems that I'm in a transition zone, it's an uncomfortable place to be in a way. I came to Winnipeg on the word of the Lord, believing that He has me here for a short time and for a specific purpose. I'm still trying to find out what that purpose is and trusting God will guide me.
Meanwhile, I've connected with some business leaders in the city who run an organization that hires intercessors to pray for the marketplace in the city. I am now part of their team. I'm growing in my prayer muscle, daily dedicating time faithfully and growing in my knowledge of the Word.
I've also received an invitation from a friend to do the School of Frontier Missions in Mombasa soon. I am waiting on God for direction. Please pray with me that He will open up the next season in time. I have a heart for children since I went to YWAM and especially Africa. I am praying for Him to show me where He is taking me next.
I am also looking for steady income right now, trying to catch up with bills that have to be paid and getting out of debt. It's not exactly what I wanted to come out of the most amazing experience of my life, living with my YWAM family which was a culture of revival and close knit community, and being plunged into North American suburbia lifestyle, without knowing my purpose here. But I know that God's ways are higher than mine, and so I've committed to trusting Him and always being thankful for everything even the stuff that doesn't make sense to me.
thanks so much for reading...
may you be blessed with Christ's riches in every way and may He reveal Himself to you in greater measures.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
I've been back in Hawaii for the last few days debriefing with my school, meeting friends again who have gone on outreach all over the world and telling each other crazy stories of what God did.
One of the biggest things I've learned is in the shift of my outlook on life.
I have realized that my life is not so much about the job I have or the things I do, but it's about living in the Kingdom of God. My biggest passion is to fall more in love with Jesus and to share that love with others.
I can't stop telling people about the ways Jesus has shown me his love and how he has transformed my life.
Living in Mozambique really took all the complexities of life away and my team had the priviledge of living raw Kingdom life for 8 weeks. We didn't have all the material things to distract us, it was just us, God and each other and experiencing the crazy adventures of a naturally supernatural life!
Living for Jesus is so rewarding!! I am not the same person any more!! How can I ever go back to my old life? Having seen and experienced life in Africa and the unity and family life of Christ centred community, I can't ever go back to the way things were before.
It is only going to get better and bigger from here on!!
Leaving Africa was hard. My heart is there and will probably never leave. I am so excited to keep pouring into the relationships that started there. One thing I learned is that relationships are eternal. Investing into people is investing into eternity!! And just because I leave one place and don't see people for a while doesn't mean I'm not in relationship with them.
I do sincerely apoligize for not writing more often. I would have loved to share so much more about my time in Pemba. We didn't have internet most of the time so it was hard finding time to write updates. And then so much was happening on a daily basis that it was hard to know what to write about! How do I tell about all that happened in the last 2 months?
But I'm going to attempt to give you some glimpses into my experiences by highlighting some things to you.
Our school had an evening of testimonies and worship and ministry time last night. We invited the whole leadership track team, the new Fire & Fragrance school and the photography DTS. My whole DTS was there as well. I had the priviledge of sharing my testimony with them. 2 people from every outreach team from my school shared testimonies. To make it short, I ended up preaching and the fire of God filled me that while I was speaking I suddenly felt like I was back in Mozambique during our team worship sets on the back porch of our house. We had a time of worship with all the schools and ministered to the teams in prayer before they go on outreach. And then we had a dance party.
One highlight of my outreach was to see how God moved through me when I yielded to him. I remember praying for a whole bunch of kids during one particular bush bush outreach in one of the villages. I was so possessed with the presence of God that I felt like Jesus was coming out of me. I would look into their faces and their countenances would light up with joy. All self consciousness was gone and it was just Jesus and the prayer in that moment. So many people got healed that night. We never knew what people got healed of because we didn't speak the language and because there weren't any doctors around to diagnose people's conditions. But we just prayed in faith and if the person's pain left we figured they were healed! We saw people walking on their feet again, stomach aches left, headaches left, eyes opened, ears opened...and the most amazing miracle was when they gave their lives to Jesus! I was in a time of reaching personal breakthrough with fears and during this particular night I was really fighting against it and praying the whole evening and keeping on pressing into God. As I stayed yielded to him I saw myself break out in crazy intercession! I will never forget these moments. I also remember how George, one of Heidi's adopted children who is now grown man, was ministering with us during this night, and how he moved with such faith and authority. I remember looking at him while he was ministering to people in prayer and thinking 'I want what he has!' He would start praying for a person and speak with such authority and the person would get healed instantly. Wow! That's someone who knows who God is and who they are! He showed me how to pray for the sick and I got discipled that night.
...to be continued...
One of the biggest things I've learned is in the shift of my outlook on life.
I have realized that my life is not so much about the job I have or the things I do, but it's about living in the Kingdom of God. My biggest passion is to fall more in love with Jesus and to share that love with others.
I can't stop telling people about the ways Jesus has shown me his love and how he has transformed my life.
Living in Mozambique really took all the complexities of life away and my team had the priviledge of living raw Kingdom life for 8 weeks. We didn't have all the material things to distract us, it was just us, God and each other and experiencing the crazy adventures of a naturally supernatural life!
Living for Jesus is so rewarding!! I am not the same person any more!! How can I ever go back to my old life? Having seen and experienced life in Africa and the unity and family life of Christ centred community, I can't ever go back to the way things were before.
It is only going to get better and bigger from here on!!
Leaving Africa was hard. My heart is there and will probably never leave. I am so excited to keep pouring into the relationships that started there. One thing I learned is that relationships are eternal. Investing into people is investing into eternity!! And just because I leave one place and don't see people for a while doesn't mean I'm not in relationship with them.
I do sincerely apoligize for not writing more often. I would have loved to share so much more about my time in Pemba. We didn't have internet most of the time so it was hard finding time to write updates. And then so much was happening on a daily basis that it was hard to know what to write about! How do I tell about all that happened in the last 2 months?
But I'm going to attempt to give you some glimpses into my experiences by highlighting some things to you.
Our school had an evening of testimonies and worship and ministry time last night. We invited the whole leadership track team, the new Fire & Fragrance school and the photography DTS. My whole DTS was there as well. I had the priviledge of sharing my testimony with them. 2 people from every outreach team from my school shared testimonies. To make it short, I ended up preaching and the fire of God filled me that while I was speaking I suddenly felt like I was back in Mozambique during our team worship sets on the back porch of our house. We had a time of worship with all the schools and ministered to the teams in prayer before they go on outreach. And then we had a dance party.
One highlight of my outreach was to see how God moved through me when I yielded to him. I remember praying for a whole bunch of kids during one particular bush bush outreach in one of the villages. I was so possessed with the presence of God that I felt like Jesus was coming out of me. I would look into their faces and their countenances would light up with joy. All self consciousness was gone and it was just Jesus and the prayer in that moment. So many people got healed that night. We never knew what people got healed of because we didn't speak the language and because there weren't any doctors around to diagnose people's conditions. But we just prayed in faith and if the person's pain left we figured they were healed! We saw people walking on their feet again, stomach aches left, headaches left, eyes opened, ears opened...and the most amazing miracle was when they gave their lives to Jesus! I was in a time of reaching personal breakthrough with fears and during this particular night I was really fighting against it and praying the whole evening and keeping on pressing into God. As I stayed yielded to him I saw myself break out in crazy intercession! I will never forget these moments. I also remember how George, one of Heidi's adopted children who is now grown man, was ministering with us during this night, and how he moved with such faith and authority. I remember looking at him while he was ministering to people in prayer and thinking 'I want what he has!' He would start praying for a person and speak with such authority and the person would get healed instantly. Wow! That's someone who knows who God is and who they are! He showed me how to pray for the sick and I got discipled that night.
...to be continued...
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I'm getting a few minutes on the Internet today and I want to take advantage of it. We don't have Internet access most of the time. So here is an update on what's been happening.
A few weeks ago some people on my team went on a treasure hunt here in Pemba. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's when a group of people pray and ask God for clues about the people He wants them to talk to and pray with when they go out. It's prophetic evangelism. They met a guy by the name of Taiboo who is called to be an intercessor for Africa and is in the process of starting a 24/7 International Prayer House in Africa. He lives in Pemba. Taiboo was one of the 'treasures' on this treasure hunt and has become our friend and part of the family it seems. He is the kind of guy who comes to see you only if God has told him to go see you.
So he has been going on prophetic evangelism with us since and our group has also met his spiritual mom and orphanage where he works. Taiboo talked with me yesterday about the vision for this House of Prayer. I am praying into this opportunity to see how and if the Lord wants me to be involved in this. Praise God! Please pray with me for direction and guidance here.
So much has happened since the last time I updated my blog. God shows up every day! The spiritual fruit here in Pemba is hanging low and all you have to do is go out and make yourself available to God and see him show up in power and transformation. I have gotten such a heart for Africa and the people here that I don't even want to leave anymore. It has grown on me a lot.
My team still has our 2 hour worship/prayer sets every afternoon. We've been praying for many things, one of which is the Muslim population here. A lot of breakthrough is needed and we know that prayer is a key in that. Taiboo joined one of our prayer sets last week and we prayed for the Muslims. Intercession broke out and we were in visions and travailing prayer. This is not the kind of prayer session our team first had when we got to Africa!! God has transformed us so incredibly - we are marked for life.
As our outreach is coming to an end we are anticipating even more than ever before. We have had an incredible outreach experience! But we have some time left and we want to soar even higher. Our time here has been a thriving experience and if we were to stop and go back home now we would truly be satisfied, but we are pushing in for more!
Our team has become unified thanks to your prayers and ours and the input of leaders from YWAM. The Iris missionaries have given nothing but praise about our team. We are so excited about the fruit God has born through us simply giving of our time, energy, laying down our comforts and jobs and lives, simply to follow Jesus so the Kingdom of Heaven will advance!
My time on the Internet is running out so I need to go. I'm anticipating a joyful day!
Praise Jesus for his saving grace, his love, and all his goodness he so loves to shower on us if we ask for it and seek for him with all of our hearts!! Praise Praise Praise!!
love you all and talk soon...in Christ
Bettina
A few weeks ago some people on my team went on a treasure hunt here in Pemba. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's when a group of people pray and ask God for clues about the people He wants them to talk to and pray with when they go out. It's prophetic evangelism. They met a guy by the name of Taiboo who is called to be an intercessor for Africa and is in the process of starting a 24/7 International Prayer House in Africa. He lives in Pemba. Taiboo was one of the 'treasures' on this treasure hunt and has become our friend and part of the family it seems. He is the kind of guy who comes to see you only if God has told him to go see you.
So he has been going on prophetic evangelism with us since and our group has also met his spiritual mom and orphanage where he works. Taiboo talked with me yesterday about the vision for this House of Prayer. I am praying into this opportunity to see how and if the Lord wants me to be involved in this. Praise God! Please pray with me for direction and guidance here.
So much has happened since the last time I updated my blog. God shows up every day! The spiritual fruit here in Pemba is hanging low and all you have to do is go out and make yourself available to God and see him show up in power and transformation. I have gotten such a heart for Africa and the people here that I don't even want to leave anymore. It has grown on me a lot.
My team still has our 2 hour worship/prayer sets every afternoon. We've been praying for many things, one of which is the Muslim population here. A lot of breakthrough is needed and we know that prayer is a key in that. Taiboo joined one of our prayer sets last week and we prayed for the Muslims. Intercession broke out and we were in visions and travailing prayer. This is not the kind of prayer session our team first had when we got to Africa!! God has transformed us so incredibly - we are marked for life.
As our outreach is coming to an end we are anticipating even more than ever before. We have had an incredible outreach experience! But we have some time left and we want to soar even higher. Our time here has been a thriving experience and if we were to stop and go back home now we would truly be satisfied, but we are pushing in for more!
Our team has become unified thanks to your prayers and ours and the input of leaders from YWAM. The Iris missionaries have given nothing but praise about our team. We are so excited about the fruit God has born through us simply giving of our time, energy, laying down our comforts and jobs and lives, simply to follow Jesus so the Kingdom of Heaven will advance!
My time on the Internet is running out so I need to go. I'm anticipating a joyful day!
Praise Jesus for his saving grace, his love, and all his goodness he so loves to shower on us if we ask for it and seek for him with all of our hearts!! Praise Praise Praise!!
love you all and talk soon...in Christ
Bettina
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Salama!
I just got back from another bush outreach! This village we went to was about 2 hours away from Pemba. The ride there was smooth and we arrived before sundown. God did incredible miracles this weekend.
Our first night we showed the Jesus film and prayed for sick people. Many people received Jesus as their Saviour and Lord and many people were healed. My team performed a little skit that we made up and practiced behind the truck while the crowd was watching the Jesus film. It seems that we often just wing it and do things 'on the spot' around here. Which I don't mind at all.
What was most exciting for me personally was how God broke through in intercession. At the end of the film our team was praying for the people and then we ligned up at the front so people could come up and receive prayer. The Holy Spirit moved so powerfully in me that my stomach was moving in and out. I knew that God was up to something! We went up to pray for people and the prayers just shot out of me like I have never experienced before in my life! I would lay my hands on someone and start praying and immediately the power of God would move out of me that I forgot everything around me and myself.
A lady I prayed for who had a problem with her left foot was healed on the spot, her face lit up and she smiled at me and started dancing around. I was so excited in that moment I jumped in the air and shouted 'Jesus!! Jesus!! Jesus!!.......' She went up to the microphone and testified of the healing.
There were so many healings that night, we couldn't even keep track of the count! Two people I prayed for got their hearing back, a boy's stomach was healed, another foot was healed...Some people I prayed for didn't get healed but I kept on pressing in and believing. My faith has grown so much this weekend! There's nothing like seeing someone get healed on the spot. My team saw many more healings that I don't even know of. Almost everyone we prayed for received healing.
The next morning we went out into the village and visited with people. Each group had a translator and local people from Iris Ministries who knew the language. My team was able to show God's love to the people we saw. My friend Philip who is also on my YWAM team had a word of knowledge for an elderly lady that God wanted to give her good dreams at night. Then we found out that she had been having bad dreams. We prayed for her and visited with her for a little while. She was a believer and knows Jesus. We then went into her house and prayed over her house. We felt the spiritual atmosphere change immediately and started laughing and dancing with her outside her home. It was such a blessing to love on this woman and encourage her.
Another man we prayed for had problems with his stomach and was healed. One man we prayed for had been cursed by a witch doctor with leprosy. He was a Catholic. After talking with him we sensed that he didn't know Jesus and who he can be as a child of God. The sickness did not break, but we 'sowed a seed of faith' in him and saw the Holy Spirit touching him personally. We encouraged the local people on our team to have the pastor of this village disciple this man.
Life in the village
The villages are not like anything we've ever seen in our Western world. There is dirt and dust everywhere. People live in small mud huts, chickens running around everywhere. The culture here is community oriented where the whole village raises everyone's kids. Women nurse each other's babies, not because they have any lack in milk, but because it's how it's done. The poverty is unthinkable. People do have their own gardens on occasion, but usually women live with their kids (5-6 of them) without any father, and gather sticks to sell for an income. They earn about 3 dollars a week for their whole family. The huts are simple. There are a few bamboo beds and a little fire place. Kids don't have any toys, they play with each other or they make their own toys out of sticks or garbage bags.
This culture doesn't see the family the way we do in the Western world. Here, people hardly ever marry. They change partners frequently. Women raise the kids on their own and the fathers don't live with them. A man can simply sleep with a woman and she will become pregnant and he will move on while she raises the child. It's very common for a man to have multiple 'wives'.
Here at Iris we feed the village kids 6 days a week. They come by the hundreds and pick up a plate full of rice and beans every day. This is often their only meal. We also have a village feeding every second Monday. Here, the women come and pick up a bag of rice and a bag of beans. Women carry everything on their heads. I have carried a baby in a cloth tied around my shoulder! A 1 year old who hardly weighed anything. But I got tired after walking for half an hour. My friend Jane and I were visiting a woman in the village here this week and walked with her to her little hut. She served us lunch, Matapa, which is a traditional meal here. It's a green plant that looks like spinach when cooked. It's served with rice and it grows everywhere. We ended up praying for all her 5 kids and prophesying over them. We played Duck Duck Goose with them and a whole bunch of village kids joined us. Kids here love this game! We had so much fun.
Prayer requests
I'd love your prayers for my relationships with people here at Iris. Please pray that God will fill me more and more with His love so that I have more and more to give away.
My team is heading up a 12 hour worship session next weekend, and a 24 hour worship session on May 25th. We will be in the church building here at Iris. I don't know what God's going to do but I do know that God will 'open the heavens' and pour out his blessing.
I'd also love your prayers for financial provision. I need to buy some essential things like shampoo and laundry money as well as another $50 for my monthly support for April and $320 for June.
I will be back in Canada in about 6 weeks which means I will start a new chapter. As of now I don't know yet where I will live or work. I am praying about where God wants me to go next.
Blessings to you all in Jesus' name!! We have an amazing and wonderful God!
Until next time...
I just got back from another bush outreach! This village we went to was about 2 hours away from Pemba. The ride there was smooth and we arrived before sundown. God did incredible miracles this weekend.
Our first night we showed the Jesus film and prayed for sick people. Many people received Jesus as their Saviour and Lord and many people were healed. My team performed a little skit that we made up and practiced behind the truck while the crowd was watching the Jesus film. It seems that we often just wing it and do things 'on the spot' around here. Which I don't mind at all.
What was most exciting for me personally was how God broke through in intercession. At the end of the film our team was praying for the people and then we ligned up at the front so people could come up and receive prayer. The Holy Spirit moved so powerfully in me that my stomach was moving in and out. I knew that God was up to something! We went up to pray for people and the prayers just shot out of me like I have never experienced before in my life! I would lay my hands on someone and start praying and immediately the power of God would move out of me that I forgot everything around me and myself.
A lady I prayed for who had a problem with her left foot was healed on the spot, her face lit up and she smiled at me and started dancing around. I was so excited in that moment I jumped in the air and shouted 'Jesus!! Jesus!! Jesus!!.......' She went up to the microphone and testified of the healing.
There were so many healings that night, we couldn't even keep track of the count! Two people I prayed for got their hearing back, a boy's stomach was healed, another foot was healed...Some people I prayed for didn't get healed but I kept on pressing in and believing. My faith has grown so much this weekend! There's nothing like seeing someone get healed on the spot. My team saw many more healings that I don't even know of. Almost everyone we prayed for received healing.
The next morning we went out into the village and visited with people. Each group had a translator and local people from Iris Ministries who knew the language. My team was able to show God's love to the people we saw. My friend Philip who is also on my YWAM team had a word of knowledge for an elderly lady that God wanted to give her good dreams at night. Then we found out that she had been having bad dreams. We prayed for her and visited with her for a little while. She was a believer and knows Jesus. We then went into her house and prayed over her house. We felt the spiritual atmosphere change immediately and started laughing and dancing with her outside her home. It was such a blessing to love on this woman and encourage her.
Another man we prayed for had problems with his stomach and was healed. One man we prayed for had been cursed by a witch doctor with leprosy. He was a Catholic. After talking with him we sensed that he didn't know Jesus and who he can be as a child of God. The sickness did not break, but we 'sowed a seed of faith' in him and saw the Holy Spirit touching him personally. We encouraged the local people on our team to have the pastor of this village disciple this man.
Life in the village
The villages are not like anything we've ever seen in our Western world. There is dirt and dust everywhere. People live in small mud huts, chickens running around everywhere. The culture here is community oriented where the whole village raises everyone's kids. Women nurse each other's babies, not because they have any lack in milk, but because it's how it's done. The poverty is unthinkable. People do have their own gardens on occasion, but usually women live with their kids (5-6 of them) without any father, and gather sticks to sell for an income. They earn about 3 dollars a week for their whole family. The huts are simple. There are a few bamboo beds and a little fire place. Kids don't have any toys, they play with each other or they make their own toys out of sticks or garbage bags.
This culture doesn't see the family the way we do in the Western world. Here, people hardly ever marry. They change partners frequently. Women raise the kids on their own and the fathers don't live with them. A man can simply sleep with a woman and she will become pregnant and he will move on while she raises the child. It's very common for a man to have multiple 'wives'.
Here at Iris we feed the village kids 6 days a week. They come by the hundreds and pick up a plate full of rice and beans every day. This is often their only meal. We also have a village feeding every second Monday. Here, the women come and pick up a bag of rice and a bag of beans. Women carry everything on their heads. I have carried a baby in a cloth tied around my shoulder! A 1 year old who hardly weighed anything. But I got tired after walking for half an hour. My friend Jane and I were visiting a woman in the village here this week and walked with her to her little hut. She served us lunch, Matapa, which is a traditional meal here. It's a green plant that looks like spinach when cooked. It's served with rice and it grows everywhere. We ended up praying for all her 5 kids and prophesying over them. We played Duck Duck Goose with them and a whole bunch of village kids joined us. Kids here love this game! We had so much fun.
Prayer requests
I'd love your prayers for my relationships with people here at Iris. Please pray that God will fill me more and more with His love so that I have more and more to give away.
My team is heading up a 12 hour worship session next weekend, and a 24 hour worship session on May 25th. We will be in the church building here at Iris. I don't know what God's going to do but I do know that God will 'open the heavens' and pour out his blessing.
I'd also love your prayers for financial provision. I need to buy some essential things like shampoo and laundry money as well as another $50 for my monthly support for April and $320 for June.
I will be back in Canada in about 6 weeks which means I will start a new chapter. As of now I don't know yet where I will live or work. I am praying about where God wants me to go next.
Blessings to you all in Jesus' name!! We have an amazing and wonderful God!
Until next time...
Friday, April 20, 2012
Salama! Salama!
I'm in Mozambique at Iris Ministries now for the last 3 weeks. there are so many stories to tell I don't know what to write. My team has already been on one bush outreach in a little village a few hours away from Pemba. We slept in tents and were continually surrounded by crowds of village kids who were observing every move and every word. I did the children's program with some of the women on my team, I shared my testimony with the kids under a big old tree in the village. We told them the story of Jesus' birth and David and Goliath, and we played games with them. We showed the Jesus film to the village and prayed for sick people. People were healed and got saved.
On base at Iris I have been giving the meds to the kids. It is a great way to get to know them. I love them. I also try to spend time with the little kids in the toddler house as often as I can. They have mamas who take care of their needs every day but no one to play with them or disciple them. I want to spend time with these kids and get to know them and take full advantage of the time I've been given here. There is a lot of joy in the toddler house and the kids are precious!
On Thursday I went to the town of Mieze and helped out at the milk clinic. The mothers who come have babies they can't feed on their own because they aren't producing breast milk. If it weren't for the milk clinic the babies wouldn't survive. We weighed them and gave the mothers boxes of powdered milk. There was a mother there whose baby had just died and it was so sad. Even though I didn't know her I had tears in my eyes. The survival rate of these babies is not very high with dirty water and malnutrition.
Being in a third world country is opening my eyes to poverty like never before. I grew up in a poor family myself but we always had food and a bed and education. These people have no food and sleep on floors in mud huts. They have never seen anything else. If I were to tell them that God has dreams for their lives I don't know if they would understand that concept. Their minds haven't been trained to believe that anything else but poverty is possible because that's the reality here in Mozambique. We truly bring the Good News to them when we feed them and teach them about the Kingdom of Heaven.
But it is also the Kingdom of Heaven that first has to be inside of me because I can't give what I don't have. If I don't believe that God is a God of abundance then I won't give abundantly. So I believe that my time here in Pemba is to a large extend about my own transformation and growth. I have come to a place where I've realized that I have nothing to give to the people here other than what I can give by God's grace. I have felt so broken and powerless and I've cried out to God to fill me with his love.
Please pray for God's grace to fill me and the ability to love with His love, not out of my own strength but in His strength. I've come to do God's work, not my own, and I am willing to let God use me in any way He wants. He is an amazing God and His love is unlike anything I've ever experienced before!
My team is going to put on a 12 hour BURN here on the Iris base in 2 weeks, which is 12 hours of non-stop worship and prayer. We will have several teams taking turns leading the worship including the local youth of Iris. We feel strongly led by God to do this, as some of our YWAM leaders have encouraged us to do the same. So please pray with me for an invasion of Heaven during this time, that strongholds will be broken in the name of Jesus, the spirit of poverty and orphanhood to be driven out, and the standard for righteousness to be raised. On Earth As It Is In Heaven in Jesus' name!!
I'm in Mozambique at Iris Ministries now for the last 3 weeks. there are so many stories to tell I don't know what to write. My team has already been on one bush outreach in a little village a few hours away from Pemba. We slept in tents and were continually surrounded by crowds of village kids who were observing every move and every word. I did the children's program with some of the women on my team, I shared my testimony with the kids under a big old tree in the village. We told them the story of Jesus' birth and David and Goliath, and we played games with them. We showed the Jesus film to the village and prayed for sick people. People were healed and got saved.
On base at Iris I have been giving the meds to the kids. It is a great way to get to know them. I love them. I also try to spend time with the little kids in the toddler house as often as I can. They have mamas who take care of their needs every day but no one to play with them or disciple them. I want to spend time with these kids and get to know them and take full advantage of the time I've been given here. There is a lot of joy in the toddler house and the kids are precious!
On Thursday I went to the town of Mieze and helped out at the milk clinic. The mothers who come have babies they can't feed on their own because they aren't producing breast milk. If it weren't for the milk clinic the babies wouldn't survive. We weighed them and gave the mothers boxes of powdered milk. There was a mother there whose baby had just died and it was so sad. Even though I didn't know her I had tears in my eyes. The survival rate of these babies is not very high with dirty water and malnutrition.
Being in a third world country is opening my eyes to poverty like never before. I grew up in a poor family myself but we always had food and a bed and education. These people have no food and sleep on floors in mud huts. They have never seen anything else. If I were to tell them that God has dreams for their lives I don't know if they would understand that concept. Their minds haven't been trained to believe that anything else but poverty is possible because that's the reality here in Mozambique. We truly bring the Good News to them when we feed them and teach them about the Kingdom of Heaven.
But it is also the Kingdom of Heaven that first has to be inside of me because I can't give what I don't have. If I don't believe that God is a God of abundance then I won't give abundantly. So I believe that my time here in Pemba is to a large extend about my own transformation and growth. I have come to a place where I've realized that I have nothing to give to the people here other than what I can give by God's grace. I have felt so broken and powerless and I've cried out to God to fill me with his love.
Please pray for God's grace to fill me and the ability to love with His love, not out of my own strength but in His strength. I've come to do God's work, not my own, and I am willing to let God use me in any way He wants. He is an amazing God and His love is unlike anything I've ever experienced before!
My team is going to put on a 12 hour BURN here on the Iris base in 2 weeks, which is 12 hours of non-stop worship and prayer. We will have several teams taking turns leading the worship including the local youth of Iris. We feel strongly led by God to do this, as some of our YWAM leaders have encouraged us to do the same. So please pray with me for an invasion of Heaven during this time, that strongholds will be broken in the name of Jesus, the spirit of poverty and orphanhood to be driven out, and the standard for righteousness to be raised. On Earth As It Is In Heaven in Jesus' name!!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
the adventure begins
In 2 days my team is leaving for Africa. We've been busy packing, cleaning, praying, saying goodbye to the South Africa team which left this morning...it's been an incredible time here in Kona. As we all gathered around the team and prayed for them and sent them off with shouts, fire tunnel, and cheers I felt the bond of family and the excitement of adventures God is taking each one of us. This is an exciting time to be alive.
As my team is leaving I am reminded of the Bible verse in 1. John 4:4 that says that Jesus in us is greater than he who is in the world (Satan). We have the victory! We have the victory over sickness, addictions, hopelessness, loneliness, bondage of every kind... Jesus is the answer to everything. It is the Kingdom of heaven that is here and we have the amazing priviledge of telling people and showing people the Kingdom of heaven. It is a new time, a new era, a new season, where every evil is broken and the dominion of darkness shattered and scattered. Who is like our God?
The army of heaven is coming!
My team is going to be living at Iris Ministries. We will be working with the kids at the mission base for the most part. We will also be going out into the bush bush and bring the message of Christ to them. I will be spending some time teaching kids about God through Bible stories and activities. I am hoping to work with the orphan babies some of whom have HIV/AIDS. Many of them have been healed while they live at the mission base. It is said there is a lot of Joy on this base in Pemba. I can't wait to meet these people and build relationships with them.
I also had a revelation of a Bible passage and I want to share it with you. I am learning to read the Bible with open spiritual eyes and letting God speak to me through it. so here we go...
There is a time for everything and God knows the right times. Mark 11:11 tells of Jesus going into the temple in Jerusalem and seeing what was in the temple, but he didn't stay, he went to Bethany to be with his disciples. It was not until the next day that he went back to Jerusalem and cleared out the temple where people had been using it for the wrong things, not to pray and not to worship, but to buy and sell animals and merchandise. Jesus knew the timing of when to clear out the temple because he always knew what the Father (God) was doing and he obeyed him.
I pray for this kind of relationship with my heavenly Father. I want to do what He does and say what He says. I pray for wisdom and discernment to know what God is doing.
Please pray with me for this trip. My team is going on a 3 day journey to Mozambique starting on Tuesday.
I also still need the money to get the Yellow Fever vaccine in South Africa. The cost is between $150-350. If you'd like to help me with that I would be so happy! You can donate the money into my Paypal account here.
to be continued....
As my team is leaving I am reminded of the Bible verse in 1. John 4:4 that says that Jesus in us is greater than he who is in the world (Satan). We have the victory! We have the victory over sickness, addictions, hopelessness, loneliness, bondage of every kind... Jesus is the answer to everything. It is the Kingdom of heaven that is here and we have the amazing priviledge of telling people and showing people the Kingdom of heaven. It is a new time, a new era, a new season, where every evil is broken and the dominion of darkness shattered and scattered. Who is like our God?
The army of heaven is coming!
My team is going to be living at Iris Ministries. We will be working with the kids at the mission base for the most part. We will also be going out into the bush bush and bring the message of Christ to them. I will be spending some time teaching kids about God through Bible stories and activities. I am hoping to work with the orphan babies some of whom have HIV/AIDS. Many of them have been healed while they live at the mission base. It is said there is a lot of Joy on this base in Pemba. I can't wait to meet these people and build relationships with them.
I also had a revelation of a Bible passage and I want to share it with you. I am learning to read the Bible with open spiritual eyes and letting God speak to me through it. so here we go...
There is a time for everything and God knows the right times. Mark 11:11 tells of Jesus going into the temple in Jerusalem and seeing what was in the temple, but he didn't stay, he went to Bethany to be with his disciples. It was not until the next day that he went back to Jerusalem and cleared out the temple where people had been using it for the wrong things, not to pray and not to worship, but to buy and sell animals and merchandise. Jesus knew the timing of when to clear out the temple because he always knew what the Father (God) was doing and he obeyed him.
I pray for this kind of relationship with my heavenly Father. I want to do what He does and say what He says. I pray for wisdom and discernment to know what God is doing.
Please pray with me for this trip. My team is going on a 3 day journey to Mozambique starting on Tuesday.
I also still need the money to get the Yellow Fever vaccine in South Africa. The cost is between $150-350. If you'd like to help me with that I would be so happy! You can donate the money into my Paypal account here.
to be continued....
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