10.24.07

Hellooo mighty mighty prayer team!

We are 9 days into this stuff in Dondo and i'd like to take a break to
say thanks for your general prayers that started probalby more than 9
days ago. things like safe travels on the way, that we got all our
luggage and all the supplies got through customs (some close calls but
the prayers pulled them through!). thanks for your prayers for our
protection and comfort here. so far everyone has survived the bathroom
conditions :) which are pretty close to like home here in the house
(just can't flush any paper, it goes in a little lidded bucket next to
the toilet) and not quite so nice when we're out but doing okay :)
no one has gotten sick other than a little over exposure
to the sun and needing to lay down for a bit. we've not had any
problems with insect bits or worms or anything funny like that. IN
FACT we've not hardly seen ANY mosquitos!! they are unusually light
for this time of year. praise God.

yes, praise God. He is so good to us. and He gives each of us what we
need when we need it. we seem to be taking turns having days of rest -
planned by the Lord, not our plans, but He knows we need them and need
Him. please pray for more of this time when we introverts need it. it
is quite a new experience for most of us to be traveling and living in
such a big group 24/7. also, pray specifically towards the fact that
we are getting more comfortable here and that somehow allows us to
revert back to some normal behaviors, which can be a little trickier
than when we are all green and ultra-relying on God. does that make
sense? thanks for your coverage, praise God He is meeting us right
where we are and will continue to. we are continually amazed at the
ways He is healing and meeting each of us individually in ways that
have nothing to do with the ministry here.


today was my day to go to the hospital to serve soup. this meant a few
of us went with "mother teresa" woman from brazil and 2 translators -
one in portugeuse and one in sena as they took soup around to each
room. we spent a little time in each, one of us would pray outloud for
the room then MT might explain the gospel and sometimes we would pray
for specific healing for specific patients. the conditions in the
hosptial were just terrible including what looked like roaches
crawling up and down the walls and bedside tables. some comfort showed
itself in the familiy members who were with their loved one but not
most. most patients just lay still and looked miserable. you may have
seen a picture anita took while she was here that we put on the front
of our Hope for Africa brochures -- this was not a manufactured shot -
that is really what many of them look like. all pretty bad and once my
breath was actually taken away as i turned the corner into one room
and saw the woman on the bed nearest the door. i... yeah not sure i
can explain it. but the cool part about us being there was actually
having this feeling that we were bringing light and hope and jesus and
praying in belief and power for God to be there and to do something in
each one's heart and body. we have already had one good report of a
woman that our first team prayed for. now that is way cool. but today
even the instant connections i felt in eye contact with a few and the
hope dust that we shook off our feet and left with the ones who stayed
with them. yeah, way cool too.

side note: oh man is it hot here today!

it continues to blow me away how THANKFUL the nationals are we are
working with. the ones that have jesus really have jesus. like i said
before the lines are so clear here - good/bad, God/witchdoctors and
darkness. it is overwhelming for sure, but also freeing and somehow
easier to deal with. things in amercia are so much more complicated,
you know what i mean?

over and out for tonight.

your friend,
jen