Para Yesu

Sunday, November 22, 2009

I just knew I needed to attend both services today. After questioning last night when the valley will be coming I knew I needed some extra ammunition against the enemy. So I went to two services.

The worship at church today was great and really got me thinking. Some I knew already and some were new – regardless it blessed my soul and drew me closer to God. Singing “I am a friend of God. He calls me friend” really touched my heart. God calls me His friend? I am considered a friend of the Almighty! Seriously? Not only a friend but an “Heir” – there is something I am entitled to…and it is all because of Jesus. Wow. “Your Grace is Enough” is one of my favorites. The verses “So remember you people, remember your children, remember your promise, oh God” reminded me of the people here. God remember your people, the children who love you and are ready for your promises!!! Remember! How dare we ask God to remember us…where do we get off thinking we can say that? But then it reminded me of how the man asked Jesus to heal him if He could – and Jesus just did. I don’t think God gets insulted when we ask Him to remember something or do something…I think He is honored that we ask Him and realize He truly is our provider and redeemer. Oh I loved worshipping to that song!!

Witchcraft is coming up a lot lately along with other destructive, condemning religions. In church we prayed for the witch doctors to repent and follow Jesus. It was powerful to me. I see a lot of our children at Tegot with these little slivers of wood pierced in the ears like earrings to ward off the witch doctors from using them in their “medicines”. See, children are used because they are thought to be pure and perfect for use. However, if they have any little impurity, like a piercing, they are useless to the doctors and they will not use them. Anyways, to pray specifically for these people brought it home a bit.

Here is some more food for thought: God’s relationships are based on covenants. He builds a relationship with a promise – a promise that He will fulfill no matter what. God doesn’t create a relationship just to chill out – He does so to promise something so we can trust Him and have absolute faith that THIS relationship is a good One. ;) God’s goodness sums up life.

We again talked about kingdom – today there was a bit of Satan’s kingdom versus God’s kingdom. However, in my heart jump started at the part on us being heirs to the kingdom. Since the valley part came up yesterday, I was interested in seeing how God was going to use that concept today. Well, I know that a valley will come – no doubt, but how I respond in that valley will test the relationship and character I claim to have in God. I am an heir to God’s kingdom. All that I am belongs to Him. I have completely surrendered that. Also, as an heir, I should walk, talk and be like an heir. A (good) queen doesn’t sulk, dress poorly, treat people around her poorly, look like a pauper and gets consumed with matters that aren’t part of her queen-ship. Rather she walks with her head held high, sets the example for those who follow her, takes care of herself, and concerns herself with the kingdom she inherited so it may be passed on to generations after her. I can easily apply that– regardless of good or bad times. My head must be held high peering at the only One who matters, set the example of joy, trust, faith, redemption and restoration in Christ, be in the Word and feeding my spirit so my soul and body receive the overflow and consume my mind, heart and soul with the glorious, amazing kingdom that Jesus has given to me to inherit and honor Him in all ways, while making sure the next generation will inherit this same kingdom. Thank you, LORD, for showing me how I am an heir and the responsibility that goes along with it….all to give you Glory!

I was blessed at that service. So what do I do? Go to another one – but at Tegot Baptist. I got there a little early and met Ogen Emmanuel’s mom. Little did I know I met her last December! She lived at camp and I remember her telling us her story in December. We went into her ot and I prayed over the family. I took her picture. She looked so much older then. Today, though, she was radiant. I hardly recognized her (it took me all service to figure out how I knew her!). They moved back home and you can just see how much younger, fresh, relieved she looked for someone who still has to carry the burden of 4 children and memories of her husband and sons murdered in front of her. It made me understand Ogen a bit better…he is always so quiet, but he is the sweetest boy. I realized that if I made eye contact with him and smiled I needed to hold the gaze uncomfortably long in order to get a response back. I now use that technique with all children I meet who do not immediately respond to a smile or hello. It works well. It is almost as if you stare longer at them it promises that you are acknowledging they are real and that you want to be part of their life – for real. That you won’t leave. It is weird but super cool. Hope the coolness makes sense…cuz it really is.

Seeing a lot of our sponsorship kids at church was awesome. It was super neat to see them worship. They dance and clap. Oh, and sing!!! The worship at Tegot was amazing but totally different from Watoto. As Watoto represents the “best” kind of worship in US standards, Tegot is the “best” kind of worship in Africa/tribe standards. They had traditional instruments, the voices were amazing and the rhythm was great! There is nothing like it! I wish I had a djembe to play…now that would be a blast. Pray if I can get some drums and maybe play along. Boy did I want to!! I didn’t understand any of the words except Yesu and Hallulujah for the most part. Haha. But it was great. I loved seeing the kids and the parents. What amazing people. Para Yesu! (Praise Jesus!)

I might just attend two churches at a time…just maybe. It would help me learn Acholi too. :)

I am happy to report that Scov BARELY cried today. We will skip tomorrow and go on Tuesday for a checkup. Pray after that we won’t need to go!
Driving around a lot lately really has exhausted me. I am happy to do that but it takes a lot. Almost 2 ½ hours a day! YIKERS!

After leaving Larem because the power went out, I met with Melissa to go to the market. See, I am still not a huge fan of the market. Slowly getting used to it…slowly. Bought a market purse to carry my goods….nice burgundy and blue designed bag…excited about that! Then I found the BEST pineapple, mangoes, avocadoes and passion fruit EVER! For dinner had an avocado and pineapple. Wow, good stuff people. A huge, GOLDEN pineapple, 2 large avocadoes, 2 mangoes and 6 small passion fruits were 6,500 shillings – otherwise known as $3 and some….and it was better than anything you could ever find in the US. Amazing.

So don’t freak out or anything on me here people, but I wanted to share what has been going on in my head. Every time I refer to the US, I say US…I want to say back home but for some reason I catch myself and say US. I know I am doing it and not sure why I am not claiming US as home in my communication. Hmm.

And the ants are driving me nuts. We had a large beetle, a large daddy long legs type of bug and a ton and a half ants all around right now. I feel like I am playing a game trying to step on them and kill them. HA! I just saw a bug fall over backwards and its little legs are squirming!

Oh…no, I have not eaten meat yet. I have to say I am also not freaking out with germs, dirtiness and grime, either. Ya, I will use my hand sanitizer after but when it comes to germs and dirt stuff, not freak show about it. Like the trash on the ground…everywhere….or very dirty and sick children who need to be held. Nope, not gonna freak about that. There was a little boy at church today the Spirit was just telling me to call him over and hold him. So I did. Still didn’t smile but he cuddled…he just needed to be held. Also, my feet look like I put some bad self tanner on them…the orange of the clay/dust just doesn’t come off!! I scrub…and scrub…but somehow, it still is there. Somehow.